


Good Girl

by Lexus (Beautiful_Ruin)



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Canon-Typical Violence, Carolyn using the term murder wife, Choking, Collars, Daddy Kink, Daddy!Eve fingering Villanelle's asshole which I am mostly not sorry about, Double Penetration, Eve and Cyz double team V with their dicks, Eve is in control of shit, Eve is super!top, Eve just lets her do that until she is hurting herself, Eve really just wants to rescue her baby, Eve wants to watch Villanelle masturbate, Eve's 'I get off on the fact that you want/need me' kink, Eventual Smut, F/F, Feelings, Feels, Flogging, Fluff maybe?, Hospital Sex, Intense scene, Light Bondage, Like, Masturbation, Mistress Cyzarine, Mistress Cyzarine is kind of her own warning, Murder Kink, Murder Wives, Natural Lube, Spanking with a hairbrush, Strap-Ons, Top!Eve, V's feelings get hurt it's horrible, Villanelle definitely has a praise kink, Villanelle does not like germs so Eve sanitizes the floor, Villanelle finally gets her tattoo, Villanelle is an asshole, Villanelle is extremely into being on Eve's leash, Villanelle is not truly prepared for orgasm denial, Villanelle is rude af, Villanelle is wrecked, Villanelle needs Eve so much, Villanelle sucking Daddy's cock in the dungeon, Villanelle thinks Eve is deranged for letting her try to destroy people and things, Villanelle threatens to kill everyone in the dungeon, Villanelle's in the corner for making a mess with shoes, Work sex, actually work sex where Ville has to be SILENT or Eve will STOP, and Villanelle wants Eve to direct the show, and tries to destroy the X-frame, bc if so then your consent must remain paired, bruh just don't drink at a dungeon, bruh there's a dungeon coming, but i think it's actually not so it's unimpaired consent, but it’s fine she’s fine with it, but not imperative, cause Ville's come is the lube, collar and leash, do not mess with Eve's girlfriend you will not like the result, dungeon scene mic drop, fatherlyfeeling!Konstantin, how horrible of Eve is that, i can't, in case you missed that, is paired the opposite of impaired, little bit of a mommy kink, more flogging, more praise kink, more spanking, poor Villanelle gets gagged with a scarf at Eve’s office, safe words, selectively submissive!Villanelle, she realizes how much she likes being called a good girl, so I guess the proper tag for that is, so don't say there was no lube, spanking with a belt, tasteful whore, that was a boring way to say Eve is in her ass and Cyz is in her cunt, the smut has cometh, they would not be okay without each other, they're so fucking cute, until she's not, when you were reading, which is not to be confused with daddy kink whatsoever, you can only get water to drink at this dungeon, you don't have to have silicone or water-based lube for anal it's just nice, your consent must remain unimpaired
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:15:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 53
Words: 129,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25143001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Ruin/pseuds/Lexus
Summary: Eve accidentally discovers something about Villanelle. It's accidental for Villanelle as well.
Relationships: Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova
Comments: 1314
Kudos: 1051





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Her Game Show Announcer voice is the way she said 'boring' in the museum and 'Cuba' in the car with Irina.

Her vision got a little blurry as she watched the life leave the pair of eyes in front of her. Her vision always got a little blurry when she watched the life leave someone’s eyes. A frisson of excitement that started low in her belly and spread like a disease all the way up to her face. She liked to think of it as a perk of the job. It was nice, enjoying her work. Most jobs seemed so _boring_.

Villanelle found herself singing as she hacked up the body and fed the pieces through the meat grinder.

“What are you doing?”

She smirked. She knew he’d hate this. “Being creaaaaaaative,” she said in her Game Show Announcer voice, complete with the matching smile, holding one hand in the air, her pointer finger extended toward the ceiling. “Don’t you like it?”

“No.”

“Why are you being boring? What are you doing here, anyway? This is my crime scene. Go away.” She shooed him with a dismissive gesture as she fed the next piece through the grinder.

“Stop doing that,” Konstantin complained, slapping at the arm that was reaching for the next piece. “Stop it.”

“Oh, I see. Jealous. You want a turn?”

His lips drew down and his brows furrowed. “This is unnecessary.”

“Can you get me a sandwich? I skipped lunch.”

“Villanelle!”

“Ugh,” she sighed, tossing one more piece in just to rile him up. “Fine. Pizza, then, if a sandwich is so hard for you to get that you have to yell my name like that.”

“Villanelle!” His voice rose in pitch.

She froze mid step to give him a disgusted look, then smeared blood on his crisp white oxford as she ran past him to the car.

His hands clenched into fists, his eye twitching as he sent a quick text before following. She was already in and buckled by the time he reached her.

Villanelle put her feet up on the dash and started playing with the catch to the glove compartment, almost absently, raising an eyebrow when her phone beeped. Her jaw dropped when she looked at the message.

_Meat grinder? Isn’t that a bit much?_

She turned The Look of Betrayal on Konstantin when he got in the car. “Everyone’s a critic!” she shouted. “You called Eve?!”

“No,” he said, smirking to himself as he started the car. Then he gave her a sneaky glance and said quickly, “I texted her.”

“I hate you,” she mumbled as she typed out a reply.

_He was a butcher and I was feeling poetic._

She folded her arms across her chest and sulked the entire way back to London. “I hate Northampton.”

Konstantin put the car in park and chuckled. “Why do you hate Northampton?”

“Because I was there with _you_.”

The chuckle became one of his genuine, barking laughs. She was so childlike in some ways. “Go take a shower. You smell like raw meat,” he said with a face when he stopped laughing.

She leaned over to whisper to him. “That’s just my period,” she teased, enjoying his sour expression and the grunting noise of disgust he made. She breathed in his face and jumped out of the car, waving as he drove away.

***

Eve laughed at Villanelle’s response and tapped the mic button so she could keep typing while she replied. “You put the Poe in poetic. See you when you get here.” She quickly glanced to make sure there were no autocorrect blunders and then hit ‘send’.

Jamie, Bear and Audrey all snapped their heads around to look at her from various locations in the office. “She’s coming here?” Jamie asked, gesturing around the space.

“Yeah,” Eve said distractedly, staring at the laptop screen in front of her. Consequently, she missed the looks of terrified awe on their faces.

***

Roughly forty-five minutes later Villanelle came strolling in wearing a blue silk suit with fleur-de-lis silver stitching, her hair in a messy bun. Eve stared for a second and then offered a greeting. “Okay, let’s get to work.”

Villanelle stopped beside Eve and slowly turned to face her. “Oh, hi Eve, it’s soooo lovely to see you as well,” she drawled. “I’m fine, thank you for asking.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “Yes, hello. Now let’s get to work.”

Villanelle sighed and dropped her head back to stare at the ceiling. “All business, so boring,” she lamented, then turned her attention on Audrey. Someone she could control far better than she could hope to control Eve. “You.” She pointed at the girl. “Go get me something to eat.”

Audrey’s face drained of color and she stammered a response as she got to her feet. “What-what would you like?”

“No,” Eve said without looking at either of them. “Audrey, sit down and ignore her. Villanelle, I need you to pull—”

A deafening roar filled the room and made everyone jump but Eve. Audrey rushed out the door muttering she’d get a pizza and the roar turned to almost hysterical laughter.

Well that was just enough, and Eve reached over to pop Villanelle sharply on the ass, since she was within easy reach. “Stop,” she demanded, and watched in amazement as Villanelle turned toward her again with a blush dusting her cheeks. Her jaw dropped slightly at the squeak the blonde made.

Villanelle felt the heat in her cheeks and the rush of air out of her lungs at Eve’s reprimand; the physicality of it; the casually authoritarian way it was done; the lack of any fear whatsoever. She stopped laughing and walked carefully over to take the chair next to Eve, her lower lip sliding out in a pout to cover the flutter of nerves that had rapidly descended. “That was _not_ very nice,” she complained, making puppy dog eyes.

Filing Villanelle’s reaction away for later reflection, Eve raised an eyebrow at her and nodded toward the laptop she had been assigned. “I need you to pull all my photos from your crime scenes and print them out.” She expected some kind of flippant response but Villanelle was surprisingly subdued, following the direction without comment. That was a first.

Once Villanelle was working, Eve texted Audrey.

_Don’t come back here with food for her. I’ll feed her when she behaves._

The response came quickly.

_I’m just going to get her a pizza._

Eve frowned and replied with irritation.

_Do not step through the doors with food for her, I’m not kidding. I’ll punch you. Come back now._

Audrey didn’t respond, but thankfully she returned a few minutes later sans pizza, and walked quickly to her desk to sit down.

Villanelle looked up at the arrival. “Where is my pizza?”

Audrey seemed to literally shrink. “Eve told me I couldn’t get you anything…”

Eve waited for an explosion that never came. Finally she turned to look at Villanelle beside her, jumping a little at the stare she was receiving. The intensity in those impossibly bright eyes threatened to bore a hole right through her head.

Villanelle leaned forward until she could whisper in Eve’s ear. “You want to be Mommy?” Her words were quiet, her Russian accent thicker than ever. “You will have your work cut out for you, Mrs. Polastri.”

Of course Villanelle would take it _there_. “Ms. Polastri. I’m divorced, remember?” she whispered back.

A shockwave attacked Villanelle between her legs and she struggled to stay aloof. “That’s right. _Miss_ Polastri. You will have your work—”

“Be quiet and finish _your_ work,” Eve interrupted, her words just as quiet.

Villanelle scrunched up one side of her nose in distaste at being interrupted, and also at being so easily dismissed. She rolled her chair a few feet away and shrugged. “Don’t feel like it.”

Eve smirked to herself, pressing her mouth into her shoulder to keep from laughing, and then addressed Villanelle again. “If you want any of my attention, be quiet and finish your work.”

Another stab between Villanelle’s legs and she struggled with two equally powerful urges – flip Eve’s chair over and knock her out of it… or… print the rest of the photos and get Eve’s attention. She felt she was becoming rather predictable, which she didn’t appreciate, but she shut her mouth and got back to work. A few minutes later she was too twitchy about it so she kicked Eve’s chair hard enough to send it rolling across the room and made a lizard-like face at her. “You are a terrible boss.”

Everyone was staring at Eve looking nervous. She let her chair bump into the wall before scooting it back over to her desk. “Actually, Jamie’s the boss.”

Villanelle leaned over to stage whisper out one side of her mouth. “Which one’s Jamie?”

Eve pointed at him.

Villanelle’s expression turned sweet. “Jamie, can I have a break?”

“Uh, yeah, yes, yes of course,” he said nervously.

She winked at Eve and stood up to walk away, intending to plop herself on the sofa and sit doing nothing just to irritate the other woman, but a sharp grip around her wrist prevented her from getting very far. “Ow,” she complained, twisting her arm haphazardly in a (non)attempt to escape the hold. “You’re hurting me.” She narrowed her eyes.

“Bullshit,” Eve snorted, giving a tug until Villanelle was standing right in front of her. She looked into those mischievous eyes and kept hold of the blonde’s wrist. “Do you really want to do this here?”

“Do what here?”

Eve couldn’t quite tell if the question was sincere or mocking. “Get your little ass spanked for being a brat,” she responded either way.

Villanelle’s breath left her and she reached behind herself, blindly grabbing for her own chair and dragging it close so she could drop into it. “I’m not a brat,” she managed to whisper with some difficulty, her voice sounding like it had been dragged across hot coals.

Eve started rubbing her thumb in soft circles over Villanelle’s captured wrist, using the younger woman’s interest against her in an attempt at control. “Then please finish your work like a good girl,” she said quietly. “I need those photographs.”

Most things were funny to Villanelle… and this had been funny… until it wasn’t. Her eyes filled with unwelcome tears and she nodded her head in agreement, afraid to speak because her voice would break. Somehow Eve had gotten under her skin in a different way than usual. Maybe it was being called a good girl or maybe it was Eve saying she needed something from her. She nodded again and swallowed past the lump that had lodged itself in her throat. And then when Eve hadn’t said anything or let go of her wrist, she nodded a third time.

“Thank you,” Eve said, giving her wrist a squeeze before finally letting go. She could sense a change in the tide and knew that this time, Villanelle would complete the task with no more theatrics. The difficulty in getting a ten-minute activity out of the blonde was exceptionally telling. “I promise to shower you with attention as soon as you’re done.”

Villanelle sat quietly, navigating Eve’s library of crime scene photos and sending each one to the printer. Looking at her own handiwork through someone else’s lens was actually kind of interesting, once she started paying attention. And of course it was nice to re-live the moments, appreciating her creativity and flair from a more objective view. Not that she was capable of being objective… just _more_ objective than at the original moments.

Eve hadn’t meant to discover this side of Villanelle, but now that she had, she had to admit it was pretty fucking exhilarating. She honestly wasn’t focusing on what she herself was supposed to be doing, rather hypocritically she might add, but focusing on how she was going to continue this dynamic once Villanelle finished her work and earned attention. How long could she maintain this type of authority? What would fuel it further and what would make Villanelle draw back? Was she stupid for even trying to start something like this?

All too soon Villanelle was standing in front of her with the stack of photographs. “I’m finished.”

Her brief bout of worrying was for nothing, because as soon as Villanelle was standing there, she instinctively knew where to lead. She took the photographs and put them in her bag, then stood up and gave Villanelle a smile. “Good girl… thank you,” she praised, enjoying the radiant look on the blonde’s face and those fucking adorable dimples when she smiled a certain way. “Apologize to Audrey and Jamie, then we’ll go get something to eat.”

“What?” Villanelle said almost automatically with a snarl. She expected Eve to back down in the face of her irritation, but the older woman just raised an eyebrow at her and said nothing. “Why do I need to do that?” she tried again, less confrontationally.

“Because you scared them both on purpose just to be a dick,” Eve explained. “I’m waiting.”

Villanelle eyed her with suspicion, turning away impossibly slowly while keeping her eyes on Eve until her neck wouldn’t tolerate the angle anymore and she faced Audrey and Jamie. “Sorry,” she mumbled, pinning them each with a stare that said she was not.

“Villanelle!” Eve barked from behind her.

One side of her face twitched up in displeasure and she spun to face Eve. “You didn’t say I had to mean it.”

Eve was unimpressed. “You have to mean it.”

Villanelle turned back around and ran her tongue over her front teeth before suddenly shouting in her Game Show Announcer voice, “I’m SOOOOOOOO-RRYYYYYYYYYYYYY,” and stomping her feet like she was running.

Bear, Audrey and Jamie jumped.

“You guys are so fun,” Villanelle teased them. “Like… _so_ fun.”

Eve figured that was the best she was gonna get even though it was horrible. “Come on,” she muttered, taking the younger woman by the elbow and leading her toward the door.

Villanelle spit in one of the potted plants on the way out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are fuel. (This is my first fic for this fandom, also.)

“I’m s—do you think I didn’t see that?” Eve asked, raising an eyebrow as the door shut behind them.

“You didn’t want me to swallow come, did you?” Villanelle shot back with an innocent widening of the eyes.

“Jesus Christ,” Eve muttered, shaking her head. “What do you want to eat?” And before Villanelle could say something else ridiculous, she quickly added, “food. What kind of food do you want to eat?”

Villanelle had opened her mouth to be entirely uncouth but snapped it shut with a petulant look. “Pizza,” she said, her boredom with Eve’s prudishness shining through in her voice.

“And do you think you deserve pizza?” Eve asked with a half smirk that turned into a full smirk at Villanelle’s surprised expression.

“Of course,” came the immediate answer. “I am an angel.”

Eve ran a hand over her face and decided not to argue that at the moment. But she did make Villanelle carry the pizza.

***

“Hey, don’t throw that on the floor,” Eve spoke up when Villanelle wiped her face with a napkin and didn’t bother to care where it landed when she let go.

Villanelle scoffed. “It’s my floor.”

“And I have to look at it. Unless you want me to leave?”

A stab of alarm pounded through her forehead and she picked up the napkin, putting it with the other trash in the empty pizza box. “I really hate how manipulative you are,” she said.

Eve burst into laughter, the kind reserved for the utterly absurd. At Villanelle’s sour expression, she tried to stop, but it was difficult. Of all the fucking things to say… the mistress of manipulation had to choose that one. “You—you do see the irony in that, don’t you?” she finally asked, leaning back on the sofa with a stretch and a yawn, quite comfortable with a belly full of pizza. She reached for the photographs in her bag and pulled them out, only to see Villanelle’s expression sour further.

“What are you doing? You promised to shower me with attention, remember?”

The earnestness in the younger woman’s eyes was almost enough to convince Eve to forget about work for a minute, but she really couldn’t. They had no time to lose. Someone was copying Villanelle’s kills and they all knew it wasn’t a coincidence – it was a threat. “We left the office early because you wouldn’t behave, so I have to work from… here.” She wanted to say home, but it wasn’t her home. Maybe someday they’d live together, but not today.

Villanelle felt the frustration rising and grabbed her head with both hands, curling fists around her hair until it hurt, giving an unearthly growl.

Eve sensed the impending volcanic eruption and put a hand on Villanelle’s elbow. “Villanelle,” she said, gently this time. “If you let me work for a few hours—”

“A few _hours_?!”

“Yes,” Eve continued gently. “I need you to be a good girl and let me work for a few hours. If you can do that… I’ll consider staying the night here, on the sofa.”

Those words again. _Good girl_. And then—did Eve say—Suddenly her heart was beating overtime, her pulse pounding in her ears, her equilibrium destroyed. “Yeah,” she found herself saying, nodding a little to go along with the words. “Yeah. Okay.”

“Okay,” Eve confirmed, mirroring Villanelle’s nod. The way her eyes were glassed over made Eve push just a little bit further. “Go be my good girl now. I’ll let you know when I’m done working.”

Villanelle’s brain short circuited and she just walked like a zombie to her bedroom, flopping face first onto the bed.

***

She made it half an hour.

Eve jumped as a crumpled ball of paper hit her in the forehead, and she swung her eyes to the giggling woman in the living room doorway. She took a calming breath and before she could think to censor herself the words came flying out. “I’m disappointed in you, young lady.” Even she was surprised at the sternness of her voice.

Villanelle’s transformation was instantaneous. The giggle ceased, her smile faded, her posture drew in on itself and her jaw trembled. “I’m sorry,” she breathed.

Eve wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily this time. “Come here,” she ordered, pointing to the floor in front of her.

Villanelle shuffled over, looking every bit a child. “I’m sorry,” she said again, eyes on the floor. She gasped when Eve’s fingers raised to unbutton her suit trousers. “Mo—” She stopped, unsure, raising her eyes to Eve’s in question. When she received a reassuring nod, she continued. “Mommy, please, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” Eve replied, tugging down the zipper. “I’m sorry that you couldn’t let me work like you said you would.”

Villanelle grabbed the front of her pants, holding them up, the tremble in her jaw working its way though her entire body until her knees wobbled. She shook her head. “I’ll be good.” Why did she suddenly have a desperate, cloying need not to be punished? She always wanted Eve’s approval but this was different. She felt small; vulnerable; raw and open. All she wanted was a kind word and a smile. She didn’t think she could breathe without that.

“Please don’t argue, Oksana,” Eve said softly, moving Villanelle’s hands out of the way and sliding her trousers down.

Villanelle was so wrecked by the name, the actions, the entire situation, that she didn’t put up a fight when Eve guided her across her lap and pulled down her panties. Her eyes were already filled with tears and she felt like her entire life had been a failure. “I’m sorry, Mommy,” she whispered, a few of the tears spilling over. “Don’t send me away.”

“I’d never send you away,” Eve said immediately. “I’m going to punish you so you can behave for me, that’s all.” She followed her words with a firm smack of her hand.

Villanelle gasped and grabbed a fistful of Eve’s pant leg with the hand not being used to steady herself. “No,” she begged.

“If you need me to stop, say ‘red’,” Eve told her, needing to provide a safeguard that would pull them both out of this headspace. When Villanelle nodded she let her hand fall again.

“Mommy, no,” Villanelle said, squirming. But Eve only spanked her again, and again. Again. Again. Again. Until she was crying.

Eve spanked her until she heard the sounds of actual crying, then gave her a few lighter spanks to wind things down. Her perfect bottom was glowing pink and her skin was warm to the touch, but it was nothing harsh or overdone for the situation.

Villanelle barely registered when the spanking stopped; she was crying her little heart out and clinging to Eve’s leg for protection from the outside world. She was overwhelmed with the wish that her mother would have spanked her instead of sending her away. Eve had no way of knowing it, but she was healing a tiny broken piece of Oksana’s soul.

Eve rubbed her back for a few minutes, letting her calm down, and then pulled up her panties for her. “C’mere,” she offered, helping Villanelle up into her lap, allowing the younger woman to wrap arms around her neck and squeeze.

Villanelle went from clinging to Eve’s leg to clinging to her neck, her face buried in it. Her tears slowly calmed to sniffles and she whispered against warm, comforting skin, “are you angry?”

“No,” Eve answered, stroking her messy hair and rubbing her back. “Not at all. Do you think you learned your lesson, though? Can I trust you to let me finish my work or do I need to stand you in the corner?”

“You can trust me,” Villanelle said in a rush. She wanted nothing more than to hear Eve call her a good girl again. “I want you to think I’m good.”

“Then give me two hours,” Eve said with a nod. “Two hours without interruption and then I’m all yours, okay?”

“Okay,” Villanelle sniffled. “Should I go to my room?”

“Yes.”

***

Eve worked blissfully uninterrupted for the next two hours, making some headway with timelines if nothing else. When there was no Villanelle demanding attention at the two-hour mark, she raised an eyebrow and approached the younger woman’s bedroom. The sight that greeted her made her chest tighten, emotion sweeping through her unbidden. Villanelle was sound asleep on her stomach, clutching a frilly pillow to her side, her suit trousers still around her knees.

A hand came up to cover her mouth as she stared at the blonde, trying to equate this picture of adorable innocence with the cold-blooded assassin and the witty, good-humored asshole. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard.

She walked over and carefully sat on the edge of the bed, trying to decide between waking her and just watching her sleep for a little while longer, but the decision was removed when Villanelle stirred. “Hey,” she whispered, reaching a hand out to rest on Villanelle’s back.

Everything was fuzzy except the taste in her mouth. “I need to brush my teeth,” she said, sliding away from Eve and disappearing into the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and leaned on the sink for support, forcing herself not to panic and slit Eve’s throat for having seen her so vulnerable. She took slow breaths and focused on putting toothpaste on her toothbrush, then vigorously brushed her teeth, rinsed her mouth, and put her fist through the shower door.


	3. Chapter 3

Eve went to the bathroom door when she heard the crash, stepping over the blonde’s discarded pants on the way. “Villanelle?” she called, hesitating with her hand hovering over the doorknob. She heard another crash and tried the door, but it was locked. “Open the door, Villanelle,” she said louder. When she got no answer she went to find a screwdriver to pop the lock. You know, one of those ones that just comes to a point and you jab it into the hole in the doorknob. Maybe it wasn’t even called a screwdriver; she didn’t care.

Villanelle was having a moment. First she shattered the shower door, then the mirror above the sink, and she was in the middle of smashing perfumes when she heard the lock click and the door whooshed open, Eve standing there with an awl. “Nobody calls me a good girl, Eve!” she screamed, her voice rough and gravelly and desperate. “Nobody thinks I’m good!” She smashed another perfume bottle, the smell assaulting her nose as it mixed with another scent.

Eve saw the blood dripping from Villanelle’s hands and sprang into action. “ _I_ do!” she said fiercely, dropping the screwdriver, grabbing the blonde by the shoulders and shaking her. “ _I_ think you’re good!”

Villanelle stopped destroying things and stared at Eve, trying to figure out the percentage of sincerity in her words. The way Eve was looking at her, though… it made her shiver. “You _don’t_ ,” she said quietly, turning her eyes to the floor. “You punished me.” She trained her gaze on the drip, drip, drip of blood from her fingertips to the tile. God, she loved that color.

“And what did you do after I punished you?” Eve asked. “You let me work, uninterrupted, for the amount of time I asked you to.”

“Yes, but—” And Eve kissed her. It was quick and firm… and with no tongue, she noted with chagrin. 

“I’ll punish you again if I have to,” Eve said when she pulled back from the kiss. “That doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

Just like that, the crisis was over, and Villanelle’s lips quirked into a smirk. “Oh-oh-ohh,” she said knowingly. “And how exactly is it you feel about me, Eve?”

Eve leaned closer to whisper into her ear. “Like I want you to sit your ass down so I can clean up your hands.”

Villanelle hollowed out her cheeks and narrowed her eyes, giving a huff at the most boring answer ever, but she parked herself on the closed toilet with a dramatic sigh. “That is a really bad answer, Eve. The worst.”

“Mhmm,” Eve mumbled dismissively, opening the cabinet (careful to avoid the jutting pieces of mirror) and surveying its contents. She grabbed peroxide and Q-tips and… Vampirina band-aids, closed the cabinet (careful to avoid dislodging said jutting pieces of mirror), and bent down on one knee in front of Villanelle.

“Yes, Eve, the answer is yes,” Villanelle said with a fluttery smile, putting a hand to her heart.

“Hilarious,” Eve deadpanned, dousing a Q-tip and dabbing at one bloody knuckle.

Villanelle bit her lip at the sting, but it was worth it to have Eve fussing over her. Maybe not so great that she couldn’t take a shower until she got that door fixed, but… no, still worth it. Eve’s fingers were like velvet clouds or something, so soft and gentle and sure. She even found herself looking forward to the next round of stinging after her first hand was patched up. “When are you going to fuck me, Eve?” she asked casually.

Eve choked a little and focused harder on the task of triage she had assigned herself. Her eyes bored into Villanelle’s hand, her lips pressed into a tight line. She didn’t deign to answer. When she had the cuts cleaned, she put band-aids over the larger ones and left the smaller ones to heal in the open air. “I didn’t know you liked Vampirina,” she finally said, standing up to put the supplies away.

Villanelle waited until Eve’s hands were empty again and held both of hers up. “Aren’t you supposed to blow on my cuts or something? This is how they do it in the movies, no?”

The younger woman’s hopeful expression made Eve laugh and give in. She leaned down and blew a cool breath over each of Villanelle’s hands. “Satisfied?”

“Not even close.”

“Right.” She lingered, dropping a soft kiss to one bandaged knuckle. “Maybe I’ll fuck you when you stop trying to trick me into it.”

“FOOOORRREEEEEE-PLAAAAAAAY!” Villanelle yelled suddenly, a spark lighting in her eyes. “It’s foreplay, Eve, not tricks.”

“Whatever it is, it’s not genuine,” Eve volleyed. “I’m not about to be intimate with you unless you’re being real.”

“What is real, exactly? Because I’ll definitely do that.”

“You’re only proving my point.”

Villanelle sighed and scuffed her socks on the tile, bloodying the toes of her right one. “My feelings for you are genuine,” she finally said with no trace of deceptive intent.

“I wouldn’t be here if they weren’t,” Eve said. “I know they’re genuine. And I’ve seen glimpses of the real you. I just… want more of that.”

“You want more of me crying like a pussy over a little spanking?” Villanelle asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leveling Eve with a very suspicious glare. Before she knew what had hit her – literally – Eve had slapped her face.

“Do _not_ do that,” Eve said, pointing a scolding finger at a shocked speechless Villanelle.

Villanelle sat breathing hard, trying to figure out how she should react to that. She should probably be angry. Probably hit back. But there was no anger simmering and she didn’t want to hit back. All she felt was a throbbing in her cunt to match the throbbing in her cheek. Maybe something was wrong with her, because she was instantly wet. She uncrossed her arms, one hand lifting to flutter fingertips across the heated skin. Finally she formed words. “Do not do what?”

Eve thrilled at the reaction or lack thereof, and at the absence of deceit in Villanelle’s question. “Do not call yourself names for showing vulnerability.”

Villanelle stood up, hands clenched into fists at her sides. “YOU. TRY. BEING ME!” she screamed, her voice reverberating off the bathroom walls and ringing in her own ears.

Eve should have been prepared for the abrupt escalation and scolded herself for the slight jump backward when Villanelle screamed at her. She recovered quickly though and stepped forward again, into Villanelle’s space. “It’s a process,” she said with a shrug of one shoulder. “It’s not easy for anyone. You’re unique in many ways but that’s not one of them.”

Villanelle did not like being told she was not unique in _every_ way. She did not want to feel like she wasn’t alone, because once she felt like she wasn’t alone, she had something to lose. “It’s different for me,” she insisted.

“It’s not,” Eve replied simply.

“You don’t know what the _fuck_ you are talking about!” Villanelle shouted, her pitch rising with every few words.

“And you are about five seconds away from another trip over my knee,” Eve challenged with a confidence she almost felt. “This one won’t be as gentle.”

“You think you can make me do _anything_ I don’t want to do?” Villanelle scoffed with a derisive laugh.

Eve grabbed her by the arm and yanked her close, murmuring against the shell of her ear, “I think the handprint on your face and the wet spot on your underwear say yes…”

“Well aren’t you bold?” Villanelle hissed, hating to admit that Eve was one hundred percent right and she would do basically anything for this woman’s attention. She felt a hand between her legs and her knees buckled; the only reason she didn’t stumble was Eve’s grip on her arm. “Please,” she said instantly, all traces of her bad attitude gone as she tried to press down onto Eve’s fingers. But they were already gone. “Please, Eve, this is real…” The need she had for Eve was the most real thing she’d ever felt. “Please… I’m so wet…”

“You’ve been more real tonight than I’ve ever seen,” Eve acknowledged. “But one night isn’t enough.”

Villanelle fought the urge to scream and cry and break things… namely Eve’s head. “You’re stupid,” she whispered, laying her forehead on Eve’s shoulder instead.

Eve couldn’t help laughing at the childish response. “Does someone need Mommy to remind her to behave?”

Villanelle groaned and lightly bit down on the skin closest to her mouth. “I am perfectly behaved,” she insisted. “You are just too stupid to notice.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments! Plz! I love talking about Villanelle and Eve and the only people I can talk to about them are fanfic readers lol. No one in my life is in on the magic yet D:

“You are really not winning any points right now,” Eve said once she stopped chuckling.

Villanelle pulled back with a wounded expression, then pawed lightly at Eve’s blouse. “My hands hurt,” she breathed with a pout.

“Speaking of _that_ ,” Eve said, glancing at the floor, then back at Villanelle, chewing her lip in indecision. Finally she just said fuck it and slid her hands behind Villanelle’s thighs, picking the girl up.

Villanelle shrieked gleefully and wrapped her legs around Eve’s waist, her arms around Eve’s neck, a delighted laugh following the shriek.

Eve found herself grinning at the exuberance, almost getting swept up in the illusion of naivety, but she shook her head and set Villanelle down on the edge of the bed. “Stay,” she said as she straightened up, pointing at the blonde.

“Ooh,” Villanelle said, wagging her eyebrows and leaning back on her elbows. “Yes Ma’am.”

“Don’t even try it,” Eve mumbled as she walked away. She searched the kitchen and came up with a broom and dustpan, took it to the bathroom (making sure Villanelle was staying put on the way), then swept up all of the broken glass and put it in the bin. After she returned the items to the kitchen, she made her way back to Villanelle, who was in the exact same position, only now she looked less amused and her eyes were… smoldering.

“I was good,” she said, her accent thicker again. “Where is my reward?”

Eve swaggered to the edge of the bed and stared down at her. “You don’t always get a reward for being good. Especially not if you ask for one.”

“What kind of shit rule is that?” Villanelle asked, her disgust showing clearly on her face as she scrunched it up. “Why would I ever want to be good then?”

Most people would have assumed the question was rhetorical or facetious, but Eve could usually read between Villanelle’s lines. So she was careful with her answer. She sat down beside the girl and brushed a messy lock of hair out of hawk-like eyes that were tracking her every movement. “Because you get rewards sometimes,” she tried to explain. “And the times you don’t… well… when you’re good it makes other people happy.”

“Do you think I give a fuck about making people happy?” Villanelle asked, eyebrows raised.

“When you’re good it makes me happy,” Eve amended, watching realization dawn on the beautiful face in front of her. “Even if I don’t always give you something for it… it always brings us a little closer.”

“Oh,” Villanelle breathed, giving a slow nod. “I see.” She stared at Eve, wanting so badly to kiss her. “So we are a little closer now?”

“Yes,” Eve answered simply. She made the mistake of darting her gaze to Villanelle’s lips and knew instantly that she was caught.

“Are you going to kiss me now, Eve? I would very much like for you to kiss me now.” Villanelle held perfectly still, not giving Eve any excuse to say she was pulling any tricks. Her heart started pounding and she lightly chewed the inside of her cheek. Her hands were sweating under the band-aids and her pulse was sluicing around like a blender. But she didn’t move.

Eve waited for Villanelle to laugh, or try to force a kiss, or anything else in the repertoire of bullshit she had cultivated over the years, but… nothing. The feeling of power that swept through her at Villanelle’s choice to give up control, even for a minute, was staggering. “Yes,” she finally said, nodding as she slid a hand behind the girl’s neck and squeezed. “I am going to kiss you now.”

Villanelle didn’t even dare to breathe as Eve’s mouth covered hers. A shudder began in her jaw and worked its way down to her toes. Eve’s lips were even softer than the velvet clouds her fingers had been. And the way she tasted… blissful.

Eve slipped her tongue between Villanelle’s lips and quite expertly staked her claim. Villanelle tasted like candy. “Mm,” she hummed in approval, licking her way around Villanelle’s tongue and then tugging the girl’s bottom lip between her own.

Villanelle whimpered; she couldn’t stop it. And maybe she didn’t want to stop it, not with Eve. She never gave all of herself to someone, but Eve was different. Eve was power. Eve was biblical sin. Eve was everything.

What started as soft and gentle, even if heated, quickly derailed into sucking and biting and clashing teeth. Eve dominated Villanelle expertly, kissing her into submission and biting along her jaw until there were marks. Marks she wouldn’t be able to hide. When she finally let up, Villanelle was a squirming, panting mess, eyes wide and glazed, fists curled around the Liliana Rizzari duvet she’d ordered from Tuscany. If she were feeling a little less hot and bothered she might have found the contrast amusing – cute little Vampirina band-aids against elegant Italian decadence. However, as she looked down at her conquest, she thought she had never seen Villanelle look so beautiful. “You look… majestic,” she said softly, stroking the girl’s face and fingering the marks she’d left.

Villanelle thought she was going to asphyxiate on arousal. She could barely breathe even once Eve stopped kissing her and just stared down at her. She knew her bun was destroyed and didn’t want to know what her hair looked like now. She felt like a rookie; an amateur, which was ridiculous given her prowess in the bedroom. But this was _Eve_. She couldn’t even make her mouth work to say thank you for the odd compliment. Honestly she felt like she had just been fucked raw in every hole she had when in reality all they had done was kiss for thirty seconds. When she could finally speak, her voice cracked. “Am I dead?”

Eve gave a tiny chuckle but otherwise stayed serious. “No, you’re not dead. You’re just…” She tilted her head, staring into Villanelle’s eyes, the depth of the parts of her soul she kept hidden, and she knew what she wanted to say. “You’re just _mine_.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments! Keep 'em coming, it makes things more fun. (Also, you can right click the Chore Chart link and click 'open in a new tab' so it doesn't navigate you out of the story.)

Villanelle stopped holding herself up with her elbows and flopped onto her back. “Yours,” she repeated, trying the word out on her tongue. “ _Yours_ ,” she said again, more slowly, stretching out the word and rolling the ‘r’. “I think I am okay with that.”

Eve flopped down next to her. “Did you read the file for tomorrow’s job?”

Villanelle groaned and ran her hands over her face. “Everything is always about work with you!” she complained loudly.

“You didn’t complain about that when I was investigating _you_ ,” Eve pointed out, turning on her side and propping her head up on her hand.

“Because all of your attention was focused on me,” Villanelle said with sparkling eyes and a mischievous smile, head turned slightly toward Eve. “Duh.”

“Oh my God,” Eve said, rolling her eyes and dropping onto her back again, staring at the ceiling. “Did you read the file?”

Villanelle popped up onto her hands and knees, hovering over the older woman, inching her face closer until they were about a breath apart. “No.” And she got off the bed.

It was Eve’s turn to groan. “Why don’t you ever read the files? And I swear to God, if you say it’s because it’s boring, I’ll fire you.”

Villanelle laughed, a lofty little sound. “It’s a good thing I’m going as a boxer tomorrow so I can hide these band-aids. How embarrassing, right? You go to kill someone with your hands covered in band-aids? Totally unprofessional.”

Eve could feel a headache coming on. “Okay, it’s getting late. I’ll see you tomorr—”

“You said you were spending the night on the sofa!” Villanelle challenged instantly, her body language going from amused to defensive before Eve could blink.

Eve sat up slowly and reached for her, managing to catch her wrist, and tugged her over to sit. “I said I would spend the night on the sofa if you were good and let me work for two hours. Then I was hit in the forehead with a crumpled ball of paper a half hour later.”

“Yes, but then I was good and I let you work, and I really don’t want you to leave, Eve,” Villanelle said, trying to sound intimidating but afraid she just sounded desperate.

An idea was forming in Eve’s mind and she grinned. “I’ll be here waiting when you get done with your job tomorrow. Good night,” she said, kissing Villanelle’s forehead and standing to leave.

Villanelle debated grabbing a knife or something, which was how she usually got people to do what she wanted, but she knew two things to be true. One, that’s not how she wanted things to be with Eve, and two, Eve would get stabbed before she’d give in to that kind of behavior. “Terrible night,” she called after the closing door, crossing her arms over her chest in a sulk.

***

Villanelle came home with a few groceries the next evening, hoping Eve would be there like she’d promised. She planned to cook for them both. When she reached for the fridge handle she froze, the bag of groceries slipping out of her other hand and landing on the kitchen floor with a thud.

Her jaw dropped, breathing labored as she stared at the laminated chart on the freezer.

[Chore Chart](https://imgur.com/gallery/AS2gh7G)

Her fingers trembled as she ran them across the smooth laminate, and then she took it from under its magnet and went in search of Eve. She found the older woman reclined on the sofa with a glass of wine. “What is this?” she asked, gripping the chart tightly in a fist.

“It’s a chore chart. Haven’t you ever heard of a chore chart before?”

“Of course I have but what is this doing in my kitchen? What is my name doing on it?”

“Are you angry?”

“No.”

“Upset.”

“No.”

“Then why are you shaking?” Eve set her wine glass on the coffee table and leaned forward, laying a hand over Villanelle’s trembling fist.

“I am having a… a… a…” she waved her free hand around trying to come up with anything that would explain how she felt. “This… this is…” She lowered herself to her knees in front of the sofa and held up the chart, which was being slightly warped by the grip she had on it. “This is very special to me, Eve.” How could she explain the feeling of safety and elation at being presented with a way to guarantee Eve stayed the night? If she did those three things every day, Eve would basically be living with her.

“It is?” Eve asked, relaxing a little once she realized Villanelle really wasn’t upset about it. It had been a gamble, but she’d always been one for taking risks.

And then of course there was the way it felt to see her birth name on a chore chart for children that Eve had created for her… that was an entirely different monster. “You didn’t want to maybe call it job performance or something like that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Eve smiled at her. “No.”

“It had to be chore chart?”

“Yes.”

“Well where is your name? Why is it just mine?”

Eve barked out a laugh at that and moved her hand up into Villanelle’s hair, squeezing a handful. “Because I get done what I need to get done without rewards or reminders,” she said. “And you… do not.”

“Oh really?” Villanelle challenged. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Eve said with a nod, trying not to grin too hard. “Oh, and there’s one other reason. I almost forgot.”

Villanelle waited expectantly, but when Eve didn’t continue she made an impatient face. “Well?!”

“I’m the parent in this relationship.”

That knocked the wind out of Villanelle and she slumped forward, resting her forehead on Eve’s lap. She only managed to croak out one word. “Oh.”

Eve let go of her hair and stroked it instead, running her fingers through it a few times before she leaned down to kiss the back of the girl’s head. “I had your shower door and your mirror fixed.”

Villanelle popped up. “You did?”

Eve would never get enough of that radiant smile when she surprised Villanelle in a good way. “MI6 paid for it. I told them it was an accident. They drew the line at the perfume bottles, though. Sorry.”

Villanelle laughed and shoved her free hand in her pants pocket, loosening her grip on the chore chart a little. “Okay. Let me put this back and take a shower.” She wandered into the kitchen and put the chart back on the freezer, smoothing out the crease she had made… or trying to. It didn’t want to smooth all the way and she frowned at it, willing it to behave with her gaze of steel, until a thought occurred to her and she moved quickly back to the living room. “What if I don’t have a job file to read?” She didn’t have an assignment every day, after all.

“Then you can read a chapter of the MI6 handbook that you’re supposed to have already read cover to cover and memorized.”

“Oh, my Gooooddddd,” Villanelle growled, practically stomping to the bathroom. “Such a good mom, Eve. Really. So considerate of your little girl.” And she disappeared, slamming the door.

Eve covered her mouth to keep her laugh quiet.

***

Twenty minutes later Villanelle was dressed in pink designer pajamas, hair wet, standing in the kitchen staring at the chore chart as she tried to figure out something nice she could do for someone. “Oh!” she said, rushing to the foyer. “The neighbor left their garbage can out! I’ll go put it back for them,” she called over her shoulder on her way out the door.

“If you turn it upside down or put some of your trash in it it doesn’t count!” Eve yelled after her.

“Who do you think I _am_ , Eve?!” Villanelle’s voice filtered through before the door shut.

Eve laughed and finished off her wine, standing with a stretch and taking the empty glass to the sink. She spied the abandoned grocery bag and put it in the fridge for them to sort out later. She was about to go back to the living room when Villanelle returned. The smile on the girl’s face was precious and Eve was struck with the urge to hold her… but it wasn’t the right moment for that. “Mission accomplished?” she asked instead.

“Yes,” Villanelle said, moving to the fridge. “So do I take one of these little heart thingies and put it in the box?”

Eve joined her and slid an arm around her waist. “Yep.”

Villanelle’s nostrils flared slightly at the casual touch and she faltered a breath, then picked off one of the velcroed hearts and placed it in the appropriate box. “Where is the stupid handbook?” she then asked grumpily. “And how long are the chapters?”

“In my bag. And I don’t know. They’re different lengths.”

“Does the table of contents count as chapter one?” Villanelle asked hopefully. “Or maybe the title page?”

“I’m not answering that,” Eve deadpanned. She left Villanelle sulking in the kitchen and got the handbook out of her bag, tossing it on the coffee table.

Villanelle came skulking after her a few minutes later and made a show of being so entirely put-out about it as she sank down onto the sofa and dramatically grabbed the book. She sighed loudly as she opened it to the first chapter and then started reading aloud at an intolerable volume. “WELCOME TO MI—”

“Oksana!” Eve shouted, snatching the book from her hands.

Villanelle froze, hands remaining poised as if she were still holding the handbook. “How am I supposed to read something you have stolen from me?” she asked as if Eve were lacking in capacity.

Eve was well aware that Villanelle would probably always be a handful, but even she had her limits. “That hurt my ears.”

Villanelle scooted back to the corner of the sofa and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them. “Sorry,” she mumbled, figuring she shouldn’t push it if she wanted Eve to actually stay.

“Thank you,” Eve said pointedly, handing back the handbook.

***

It took about forty-five minutes, and Eve was impressed. Villanelle sat quietly, focused the entire time. And after a brief quiz to make sure she’d actually read the entire chapter, Eve let her move another heart into its appropriate box. Now they were sat facing each other on the sofa.

“Something you don’t know about me?” Villanelle asked, pondering.

“Yes. And not your shoe size or your first grade teacher’s husband’s name or something, it has to be meaningful.”

“Eve. My shoe size is very meaningful, unless you want my shoes to fall off or hurt my feet.”

Eve couldn’t help laughing and leaned forward to kiss the blonde. Soft; sweet; indulgent. Villanelle still tasted like candy and she loved it.

Villanelle hummed into the kiss, looking rather dreamy-eyed when it ended. “Okay, something meaningful. Can I start with something small? This is not my area of expertise. You are aware.”

Eve nodded. “Something small is fine.”

“Did you know my favorite food is ice cream?”

“I did not know that.”

“I love it. If you ever need to manipulate me, use ice cream. No. No. Use your body. If you ever need someone _else_ to manipulate me, tell _them_ to use ice cream.” She absolutely loved the sound of Eve’s laughter. “Are you really going to spend the night?” she asked when it was quiet again.

“Of course,” Eve promised. “Go put up the last heart for today.”

“I can’t believe I actually did it,” Villanelle said in awe as she got up to go to the kitchen and moved over the last heart with a giddiness she had rarely felt before. “All three on my first try.” She couldn’t help being a little proud of herself, and the look on Eve’s face as she returned to the sofa said that maybe the older woman was a little proud of her too. “Are you proud? I mean… are you a little proud of me?”

“I am extremely proud of you,” Eve said sincerely, pulling Villanelle onto her lap and putting her arms around the girl.

“No one has ever been proud of me,” Villanelle said softly. “Konstantin says it sometimes but he does not mean it.”

“He might mean it,” Eve offered, brushing a lock of slightly damp hair out of Villanelle’s eyes. “You _are_ exceptionally good at your job.”

“No. He was just trying to make me feel bad because I was supposed to kill him. I let my guard down and he threw a whiskey tumbler at me and hit me with a log.”

Eve stroked the side of her face and gave her a gentle kiss. “I will _never_ … do that to you,” she promised in a whisper. “I will never tell you I’m proud of you unless I am.”

Villanelle closed her eyes and melted a little. “I believe you.” The moment got too much too fast and she pulled back to raise an eyebrow almost comically. “Wait. Even if I’m supposed to kill you?”

“I’m really hoping that never happens,” Eve said with a snort. “But even then. I promise.”

Villanelle thought about all the promises she had made to people to gain their trust, only to immediately betray it. Nadia came to the forefront of her mind and she shook off the thought violently. “Okay.”

Eve nodded. “Okay.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a little bit stronger mommy kink at the end of this chap so be warned for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments please! Let me know what works for you/doesn't work for you, your favorite parts, whatever! If you have ideas feel free to share them and I'll incorporate anything I can if it doesn't fall outside my expertise or if it's not something I'm uncomfortable with.

They were both quiet for awhile until Villanelle sighed happily. “Eve?”

“Yes?”

“I really like sitting in your lap.”

Eve gave her a protective squeeze. “I really like having you there.”

They were quiet for a few more minutes and then it was Eve’s turn to break the silence.

“Oh. Before I forget, I want to make something clear.”

“Yes, Eve?”

“Do you recall yelling ‘You think you can make me do _anything_ I don’t want to do?’ at me last night?”

Villanelle pursed her lips, pretending the memory was difficult to conjure. “I might recall something like that,” she said with a shrug of one shoulder. Before she knew it Eve was gripping her jaw so tightly it hurt.

“Do you recall it or not?” Eve asked.

Villanelle’s eyes widened slightly and she nodded the best she could within the grip Eve had. She worked her jaw for several seconds after Eve released it. “Ow,” she breathed. “That was rude.”

“If you ever say anything like that to me again, I’ll punish you. Are we clear?”

“If I tell you you’re rude?” Villanelle asked, still working her jaw.

“If you’re disrespectful like you were last night,” Eve clarified, though she expected that Villanelle already knew what she meant. “Taunting me… yelling that I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

She finally stopped messing with her jaw and straightened up on Eve’s lap, giving her hips a little wiggle. “Okay,” she agreed with a tight-lipped smile and a faint nod.

“I know you’re going to be defiant sometimes,” Eve said more gently, “but something about being told I can’t make you do anything… it really bothered me. I don’t know why. But I didn’t like it.”

“I will try not to say that again,” Villanelle said sincerely. “I was just very frustrated.”

“I’m sorry I frustrated you,” Eve murmured, sliding a hand into Villanelle’s hair. “But chances are it’ll happen again… and if it does, just tell me you’re frustrated, okay?”

“I will try,” Villanelle said again. She wasn’t going to make a promise to Eve that she might not be able to keep.

“Fair enough,” Eve agreed. “Do you want to watch a movie before bed?”

“I would love that.”

Eve went to the bathroom to change into pajamas and when she returned, Villanelle was sitting on the edge of the sofa, chewing her bottom lip.

“How?” she asked.

“Hmm?” Eve asked back.

“How would you punish me?”

“Oh,” Eve said, re-taking her previous seat. “I’m not sure. What do you think would be appropriate?”

“If I sass you like that? I don’t know,” Villanelle said, eyes glued to the coffee table, hands picking at the hem of her pajama top. “Probably you would spank me again, not so nice,” she finally offered thoughtfully. “Maybe you also would stand me in the corner.” She repeated back the punishments Eve had mentioned the day before, having no idea of anything else. She might have a lot of worldly experience and be tough as nails, but this interpersonal thing? It was new. Spanking? New. Standing in the corner? Weird, and new. The only punishments she had been subjected to before were isolation and torture. She instinctively knew that was not what Eve had in mind. “I don’t know anything else unless you plan to punch me or—”

“No,” Eve interrupted, derailing that train of thought before it could gain momentum. “Never.”

“I did not think so, but…” Villanelle shrugged.

“But this is new for you,” Eve concluded.

“Yes.”

“Okay. If you sass me like that again, I’ll go back to my apartment for a few days.”

Villanelle gasped. “What? What? _Why_? No, that is a terrible idea.”

“It’s not an idea. I’m telling you what will happen.”

“I don’t like it.”

“And I don’t like being challenged in that particular way. All I’m asking you to avoid is one disrespectful sentence, Villanelle. It shouldn’t be that hard if you care about me.”

Villanelle had opened her mouth to argue further when the last part registered and the switch flipped off. “I do care about you. I love you,” she insisted.

“Then don’t put me in a position to have to spend a few days away to punish you, okay? Because it would punish me too.”

There was a lump in the back of her throat that Villanelle was decidedly opposed to. She swallowed carefully and nodded.

“Good, that’s settled,” Eve said with finality. “Now pick a movie.”

***

Villanelle could barely contain herself when the movie ended and Eve wasn’t going to leave. “I’ll get you a blanket and a pillow!” she shouted, jumping out of her seat and continuing to bounce into the hallway.

“Hey… what about a sheet? I expect five thousand thread count!” Eve called after her.

“Combed cotton or Tencel?” Villanelle called back.

“What? I have no idea!” Eve made a face.

“Aw, did I call your bluff?” Villanelle asked, poking her head around the corner to grin at her. “There is no five thousand thread count, Eve, and highest does not always mean best. I have six hundred thread count Tencel sheets from Malouf and you will feel like you are sleeping on a cloud. Okay?”

Eve just stared at her. Of course Villanelle would know everything about bedding. “Yeah. Okay.”

Villanelle snickered and grabbed a pink flat sheet, a blanket and a pillow, bouncing them back out to Eve. When Eve didn’t take them but just stood off to the side, Villanelle raised an eyebrow and regarded her suspiciously for a moment before giving in and making up the sofa. “Will there be anything else, Your Highness?” she teased with a regal bow.

Eve climbed under the blanket and wriggled around on the sheet to test it out before giving Villanelle an innocent look. “Nope. This is good. See you in the morning.”

“You’re welcome,” Villanelle said with a scrunched-up face, snarling just a little as she went off to bed.

***

Eve got up to pee in the middle of the night and trudged to the bathroom, only half awake. On her way back to the sofa she heard Villanelle whimpering and poked her head into the bedroom to make sure she was okay. She was probably just masturbating, but better safe than sorry.

Villanelle wasn’t masturbating, she was asleep, whining and tossing her head from one side to the other, hands clenched into fists at her sides, feet kicking at the blankets.

Eve rushed over and climbed into bed, pulling Villanelle into her arms, shaking her lightly to wake her up. “Villanelle,” she said softly, and then more urgently. “Villanelle…”

Villanelle woke up with a gasp, like she’d been underwater for longer than she could hold her breath and desperately needed air. She looked around frantically, trying to figure out where she was, and when she saw Eve she remembered – she was home. Eve was staying the night… on the sofa. “What—what are you doing?” she panted. Not that she was complaining. Her entire body was shaking and her pajamas were drenched in cold sweat, though she couldn’t remember what the nightmare had been about.

“Got up to pee and heard you having a nightmare,” Eve explained. “You’re shaking… what was it about?”

“I don’t remember,” Villanelle said hoarsely. “I’m f-freezing.”

Eve felt her forehead first, then her pajamas when there was no fever. “Oh, your pajamas are soaked,” she realized, sitting up and tugging Villanelle with her. She stripped the trembling woman out of her pajamas, leaving her in a surprisingly understated pair of white cotton bikini briefs. She laid them back down and covered them both with the blankets, rubbing her hand up and down Villanelle’s back to warm her. “Better?”

“Y-yes,” Villanelle stuttered. She was still shivering, but she was getting warmer. If she wasn’t so disoriented by the nightmare she would be more fully appreciating the situation she now found herself in. Even so, she did get a little thrill from it, at being almost naked in bed with Eve, regardless of the circumstances. “Thank you for coming to take care of me.”

“At first I thought you were just masturbating,” Eve admitted sheepishly.

“I did that before I fell asleep,” Villanelle managed a little smirk despite her lingering unease.

“Of course,” Eve said with a snort of laughter. “You seem okay now. I’ll go back to—”

“Please, Eve, don’t,” Villanelle begged, panic rushing through her. She couldn’t help thinking the nightmare had been about losing Eve even though she couldn’t remember it.

Eve thought she could sense desperation, but she’d been fooled before. “Are you trying to manipulate me?”

“Not this time,” Villanelle said instantly without a trace of humor. “I have before and I will again, but not this time. Something is telling me I dreamt of losing you.”

“Villanelle,” Eve said, running a hand through the blonde’s messy, sweaty locks and looking her in the eye. “That is not going to happen.”

“You don’t know, Eve, you don’t know,” Villanelle protested, her face twisted into a tragic work of art.

“I do know,” Eve tried to assure her. “I’m not going anywhere. I might not be officially moving in or throwing myself at you unconditionally, but I’m not going anywhere.”

“No, Eve, you can’t know that… our road is paved with blood, I’ve done horrible things to people you care about, you will tire of me and—”

“Stop,” Eve said firmly, staring into teary eyes. And when Villanelle couldn’t seem to relax, she steeled her resolve, reminded herself of the adage ‘no guts, no glory’, and forged ahead with a plan that would either calm the younger woman or get her slapped. She undid the first few buttons of her pajama top, pulled one side out of the way and guided Villanelle’s head to her breast.

Villanelle had been about to argue when she’d noticed Eve undoing buttons and she froze. What exactly was—and she had a mouthful of Eve’s breast. Her lips immediately latched onto the nipple and she felt that unfamiliar wave of comfort wash over her, pushing everything else out of her mind and making her feel _loved_. Protected. Like she was the most important thing in the world to somebody. To Eve.

Villanelle latched on right away but nothing else happened, and Eve held her breath, hoping she hadn’t crossed a line. But like… she knew Villanelle needed that motherly kind of love sometimes and she wasn’t a mother so she had to go with what she knew. This was something she knew about mothers.

After another few seconds she realized Villanelle was waiting for something and she ran her fingers through the blonde’s hair again, slipping her arm beneath Villanelle’s neck to hold her close. “Suck,” she commanded gently, a spark igniting deep within her when Villanelle did. A spark she feared would soon become an inferno if she didn’t watch herself.

Villanelle’s eyes fluttered closed and the intimacy combined with the rhythmic sucking motion lulled her back to sleep within minutes.

Eve was unprepared for the sheer erotic nature of the feeling and didn’t sleep another wink the entire night.


	7. Chapter 7

So… it was incredibly annoying, not being able to sleep. Every hour or so she would get so agitated she almost got up, but then she’d look at Villanelle’s sleeping face and the agitation would fade, or Villanelle’s lips would twitch and send a bolt of electricity screaming between her legs. So she just fucking laid there. For like… six hours or something. Because yes, she loved Villanelle, but no, she still wasn’t ready to tell her. A million things could go wrong once that cat was out of the bag.

Finally around nine o’clock, Villanelle started to stir and Eve prepared herself for any number of bad reactions to the previous night’s vulnerability.

Villanelle’s eyes fluttered open slowly, consciousness creeping over her with a pleasant warmth, in stark contrast to the jolting way she’d woken in the middle of the night. Eve was staring down at her, and as more senses began to register she realized her mouth was still wrapped around Eve’s nipple. She felt Eve’s arm behind her neck and reasoned the older woman had held her close all night, otherwise she would have rolled over at some point.

She gave an experimental suck and as she expected, the arm behind her neck disappeared so Eve could grab her hair and pull her mouth away.

“Are you taking advantage?” Eve asked, trying to ignore the thrumming pulse of arousal invading her entire body.

Villanelle ignored the question and snuggled up to Eve’s side, laying her head on a bare shoulder. “Your shoulder is very bony,” she said instead of answering. “It makes a terrible pillow.”

“We need to start getting ready for work… I could use your help in the office today if you don’t have other plans,” Eve ignored her in turn. “But there’s something I have to talk to you about first.”

Villanelle tried not to tense up but those types of warnings never led to fabulous conversations in her experience. “You are upset?”

“No, no,” Eve promised, kissing the top of her head. “It’s nothing bad.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Villanelle mumbled.

“I swear, it’s nothing bad,” Eve laughed. “It’s actually just for your protection. I need you to know that when you—when I—when we—oh fucking hell. When I’m being Mommy or otherwise ordering you around or punishing you, or anything like that, you know you can stop it, right?”

Villanelle looked at her quizzically. “Yes.”

“And you can stop it with no blowback from me, you know that too, right? I won’t get upset if you safeword. I won’t leave you or pressure you to let me do something you’re uncomfortable with.”

“I can’t really imagine being uncomfortable with anything you—”

“Villanelle.”

“Okay, yesssssss, I understand, I get it, I can safeword, praise the Lord,” she scowled impatiently and more than a little sarcastically.

Eve took a slow breath and buttoned her pajama top, calmly got out of bed, and then with rapid surety she dragged Villanelle out after her, pressing the girl face first against the wall and pinning her there with a forearm across the back of her neck and hips digging into her ass. “Apologize. Now.”

Villanelle yelped at how fast Eve was able to move her and before she even thought about fighting back she was pinned to the wall. She knew she could get free if she wanted to, easily, but she didn’t want to. Her heart started to race and she breathed out harshly. “I’m sorry.”

“Now take this seriously,” Eve demanded. “Choose a safe word and promise me you’ll use it if you need to or the chore chart and the rest of this dynamic goes away.”

Villanelle sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth and exhaled through her nose to calm the urge to throw her head back into Eve’s face. “Red,” she said after a few minutes of shallow breathing, Eve’s dominance setting all her nerve endings on fire. “I will use it if I need to.”

“Promise,” Eve insisted.

“I cannot make a promise,” Villanelle whispered. “Just believe me, please. I will use it if I need to.”

Eve could tell there was more to that than face value. “Okay,” she agreed, slacking her hold and reaching both hands around to smooth across the exposed skin of Villanelle’s belly.

“Блядь,” Villanelle cursed in Russian, caught off guard enough to revert to a language she’d abandoned. Her stomach was one of her most erogenous zones, especially with that stab wound – it had healed nicely but left her impossibly sensitive in the area. The smooth, sure touch kicked her reaction time into high gear. Add to that the fact that she was in nothing but underwear and Eve was pressed against her… her senses were on overload. “Madre de Dios, please,” she tried Spanglish next, placing her hands flat on the wall beside her shoulders. “God. Please, Eve, please…”

The way Villanelle reacted to her would never cease to amaze Eve and now was no exception. She was in awe of this woman every day of her life, and to have it made clear that Villanelle was in just as much awe… it was empowering. “I have to admit something to you,” she breathed hotly against the shell of Villanelle’s ear. “Knowing how much you want me totally gets me off. In a way nothing else ever has. Everyone always accused me of getting off on the chase… but that’s not what it was. It wasn’t chasing you; catching you that made me feel powerful, Villanelle… it was the fact that you were just as focused on me. You, one of the world’s best assassins, no emotional attachments, who can kill anyone she pleases and usually without breaking a sweat… you, the international sensation, the enigma, the untouchable, you _saw_ me. You went out of your way to toy with me. Not with Carolyn, not with Helene, not with anyone. What gets me off is that I’m the only one you’re like this for. The only one you bow to… the only one you beg for this kind of attention… the only one you trust to take you apart piece by piece. I just need you to know that.”

Villanelle’s breath kept picking up rhythm the more Eve said, her panties getting wetter with every word out of Eve’s sinful mouth. She heard herself whine but didn’t want to believe it.

“What do you want, Villanelle?” She kissed the back of the girl’s neck, tasting her sweat.

Ohhhh, she was supposed to _think_? “Right now, or…?”

The way Villanelle’s breaths were panting out just fueled Eve’s inferno even hotter. “Yes. Right now. Keeping in mind we have five minutes, tops. What do you want?”

“I want—I want you to touch me.”

“I am touching you. What do you _want_ , Villanelle?”

“My breasts,” Villanelle gasped, barely able to speak with the way Eve was treating her. Everything felt so hot. “Please, I want you to touch my breasts…”

Eve bit down softly on the back of Villanelle’s neck and then licked her way to a blushing ear once more. “The sweat on the back of your neck,” she crooned. “It’s mine.”

Villanelle felt delirious with want and she had no problem with her parts or functions being claimed by Eve, even as strange as it was to imagine that her sweat belonged to someone else. “Yes, it’s yours,” she whimpered. And when Eve’s fingers started crawling up her flanks she moaned like a low-rent whore and leaned into the touch, head rearing back slightly to land on Eve’s shoulder. “Oh, fuck,” she panted.

Eve snaked her fingers across Villanelle’s ribs, stopping to trace the underside of each breast with a single fingernail, and then without warning she covered one with each hand and squeezed.

Villanelle cried out despite trying to maintain some semblance of dignity, and the entire world fell away, leaving only Eve’s hands on her body. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she chanted, arching her back to press her chest toward questing fingers.

“You’re so warm,” Eve purred, squeezing harder, then sliding her hands just far enough away that she could pinch the girl’s nipples.

Villanelle whined and squirmed but never tried to move away, and Eve didn’t pinch that hard anyway, which either relieved or disappointed her, she wasn’t sure which. All she knew was that Eve was touching her and it was as good as she’d fantasized. Better.

“Are these mine, Villanelle?” Eve asked softly, gentling her touch again, rubbing both nipples with the flat of her palms.

“Those are definitely yours,” Villanelle managed. When did her voice start to crack like a pubescent teenage boy?

Eve rubbed for a few more seconds and then gave Villanelle’s shoulders a squeeze. “Don’t wear a bra today.”

Villanelle’s cheeks puffed out as she tried to wrap her mind around things and let her body come down from the sudden and desperate high Eve had provoked. It took several long moments of forced even breathing, but she finally nodded, wiggling her ass against Eve’s hips. “Whatever you say, boss.” She sighed contently and enjoyed the feeling of being so close for so many minutes before she turned her head to the side, stealing a tiny kiss to Eve’s jaw. “What about underpants?”

Eve chuckled, grateful for the subtle levity because it helped her slide back down out of top space. “Yes. Wear underpants.”


	8. Chapter 8

Their time at the office went off without a hitch… until Carolyn stopped in to deliver Villanelle’s next assignment. It was obvious to everyone involved that Carolyn expected to walk in, hand the envelope to her contractor and walk back out.

Carolyn had just reached the doors when Villanelle’s voice rang out through the office. “What is this bullshit?”

Eve cringed.

“Beg your pardon?” Carolyn asked, slowly turning to face Villanelle.

“This is a job for a… lackey,” Villanelle complained. “A—a technical geek, or whatever they are called.” She waved a hand in the air as she spoke.

Bear sort of coughed under his breath.

“No offense,” Villanelle said without looking at him.

When Carolyn started taking measured steps back toward Villanelle, Eve sensed impending doom of a cataclysmic nature.

Villanelle slouched in her chair and scrunched up her nose, exaggeratedly pulling herself a few paces toward Carolyn by extending one leg and dragging the chair forward. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Carolyn took a moment to just stare at the insolent girl. “If you find the assignment beneath you, you are welcome to turn in your resignation.”

“ _Welcome to turn in your resignation_ ,” Villanelle mocked, then her face closed off, eyes narrowing. “Come on, lady. Why are you giving me this job?” Her accent was thick, her words extra succinct. “A child could do this job.”

“I have no need to justify myself to you,” Carolyn said with that understated air of haughtiness that always lurked beneath the surface. “Do the job or you’re fired.” She turned and walked away once more, throwing back over her shoulder on her way out the doors, “and if anyone is injured you won’t get paid.”

Villanelle screamed, that deafening roar again, and ripped the envelope (and all its contents) in half, prompting Bear, Jamie and Audrey to skitter as far away from her as possible and hide behind various pieces of furniture. She threw the halved documents on the floor and spun her chair toward Eve. “THAT is my nice thing for the day, Eve, not slitting her fucking throat!” she shouted.

Eve sighed, standing up and walking the few feet to Villanelle. “I’m sure there’s a good reason they gave this job to you and not some lackey.”

Villanelle leaned forward and hid her face against her knees, grabbing fistfuls of her hair to try to calm down. Somewhere on a subconscious level she was grateful that Eve hadn’t even flinched at the outburst. Consciously she was annoyed by it. “You’re supposed to be scared right now, Eve,” she said angrily, though her voice had lost some volume.

“I’m terrified,” Eve deadpanned. “Can’t you tell?”

Somehow that made Villanelle less angry. “Yes, you’re shaking and you’ve wet yourself.”

“Exactly,” Eve said, rolling her eyes. “Are you done with your tantrum?”

Villanelle’s head shot up, eyes comically wide. “ _What_?”

“Your tantrum,” Eve repeated coolly, nodding toward the ripped papers. “And incidentally, not slitting someone’s throat does not meet the requirement on your chore chart for doing something nice.”

A startled squeak from one corner of the room caught both of their attention and Eve made a face. She’d forgotten they weren’t alone.

“ _Eve_ ,” Villanelle whined quietly, her eyes still wide.

“Sorry,” Eve mumbled.

Villanelle knew that she was different than other people. She knew her brain worked differently. She didn’t know why, or what other people’s brains would be doing in this situation, but despite the embarrassment at having three people she enjoyed intimidating hear about her chore chart, all that mattered was Eve’s disapproval. She needed that to go away. Having Eve disappointed in her was like a thousand razors slicing every inch of her skin. Life was not sacred to her but Eve’s life was. Being accepted was not important to her but having Eve’s acceptance was. She didn’t need anything from anyone besides Eve. Eve was everything; a singular point of focus that blurred the surrounding landscape. A beacon of humanity and clarity in her otherwise morbid existence. Not that she was unhappy before she met Eve. She had been perfectly content with her life. But from the moment she laid eyes on that woman, nothing had been the same. It was like when you cut yourself, but you don’t feel the pain until you look down and see that you are bleeding. Then it _hurts_. She had been walking through life without looking down… and Eve was the blood, hot and sticky on her thighs, waking her up.

Her lower lip trembled and she reached for Eve, putting her arms around the older woman’s waist and burying her face in Eve’s stomach. “Mommy,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

Eve just about fell over at that, staring down at the top of Villanelle’s head in utter shock. “W—uh…” she said eloquently, trying to figure out how in the fuck to react. That Villanelle just called her Mommy in front of other people, even though they couldn’t hear it, threw Eve for a loop. What was she supposed to do? It’s not like she had initiated it, so… go with it, she guessed. She brought a tentative hand to stroke Villanelle’s hair. “It’s okay, baby girl,” she whispered back. “I know you’re going to pick up that mess and tape every piece of paper back together for Mommy.” She kept her voice low so the others wouldn’t overhear.

“Yes,” Villanelle agreed readily, nodding against Eve’s stomach. “I will.” A way out. Cleaning up the mess was a way out of this feeling. “Right now, Mommy?” she asked.

“I think that would be best,” Eve said gently.

Villanelle nodded again and though she was reluctant to move away, she did. She got to the floor and picked up both piles of papers, reaching over her head to grab the tape dispenser from Eve’s desk, and then got to work. The fact that she was going to have to read all of this bullshit later tonight did not help the situation, it made her want to burn the documents instead of repair them, but Eve’s voice rang in her ears, calling her behavior a tantrum, so she blocked out what she wanted to do in favor of what Eve wanted her to do. Was that what other people called love? Doing what someone else wanted instead of what you wanted?

Eve watched her for a few minutes and then hedged her way back to her chair and sat down to start working, though she kept half an eye on Villanelle the entire time. Sometimes a whole eye because damn if Villanelle didn’t look fucking adorable sitting on the floor taping papers together. Almost like an art project. That thought nearly made her snort but she didn’t want to distract the busy little girl.

***

When all the stupid papers were taped back together, Villanelle crammed them into the stupid taped-back-together envelope and set the stupid taped-back-together envelope on Eve’s desk.

Eve reached down to run her fingers through Villanelle’s hair. “Good girl,” she murmured and felt Villanelle’s shudder.

Everything else faded when Eve touched her hair and called her a good girl. The panic in her chest was assuaged, the anger in her jaw released. She exhaled a relieved sigh through her nose and closed her eyes. “Do I need to apologize?” she whispered, one eyebrow quirking up in hopeful suspense.

“To Carolyn? No,” Eve said, pulling a face. “To the others?” She thought about it for a minute. Villanelle hadn’t done anything to any of them, not directly, and she wanted to save apologies for those times. “No, baby girl. You apologized to me, that was enough.”

Villanelle’s relief multiplied and she pressed her head up into Eve’s hand, enjoying the feeling of fingers combing through her hair. “Okay.” She opened her eyes and cut them toward Eve. “Do I get punished?”

Eve’s hand tightened in her hair reflexively and she forced it to relax, resuming the gentle combing. “I don’t know yet. We’ll see how things go for the rest of the day.”

Villanelle did not like that at all, but she didn’t argue. She didn’t agree, either, but she didn’t argue.

***

With Eve focused on work and nothing to do, Villanelle grudgingly sat in her chair and started reading the file. About halfway through she realized why the job had been given to her and her face turned bright red, a choked sound forcing its way past her throat. If she had just read the stupid fucking thing instead of challenging Carolyn, the entire issue would have been avoided. Of course… Carolyn could have just answered her fucking question as well, and that would also have avoided the issue.

Eve turned at the noise and saw Villanelle blushing. Interest piqued, she raised her eyebrows and waited for the blonde to catch her staring.

Villanelle felt Eve’s eyes on her immediately and glanced over with a sheepish expression. “The job is at the Russian Consulate in Milano and I am the only one in the department to speak both Russian and Italian.”

Eve burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. “So if you’d just read the file…”

“Yes, Eve, if I’d just read the file,” Villanelle scowled. “Are you soooo happy with yourself?”

“I mean… how long have I been trying to get you to read your files?” Eve asked through the occasional rumbling aftershock.

“Forever, Eeeeve,” Villanelle said sourly. “You are _perfect_ and I am _terrible_. I am _so_ glad you are so pleased.”

“I am,” Eve admitted. “You should listen to me more often. It would save you a lot of trouble.”

“I listen to you more than zero percent and that is better than anyone else. Take what you can get,” Villanelle snapped.

Eve almost laughed again but she realized how true that was and her expression sobered. She leaned over and put a finger under Villanelle’s chin, curling it to draw the woman closer. “I know,” she acknowledged. “And I love that.” She pressed her lips briefly to Villanelle’s frown and gave her chin a little scratch before pulling back. “I want to punish you later, but I want to punish you as an adult. Is that okay?”

Villanelle’s breath caught and she squeezed her thighs together, giving Eve a nod in response, not trusting herself to speak.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got very long.

A few seconds later she realized something. “Eve,” she said gravely. “You kissed me at work. That is _really_ unprofessional. And now your co-workers are going to know that you are so into me that you can’t go very long at _all_ without kissing me.”

Eve laughed and kissed her again, just as briefly. “You’re an asshole,” she said, turning back to her computer.

“So rude,” Villanelle muttered under her breath, reluctantly returning her attention to the stupid file. “Name calling is so immature,” she continued to mutter as she started reading. “And all this time I thought you were the older woman.”

Eve snickered to herself but otherwise ignored the attempts to gain her attention.

“I’m hungry,” Villanelle announced roughly four and a half minutes later. “I need food.”

“What you need is an assessment for ADHD,” Eve said exasperatedly. “Do you have a local doctor?”

“Are you serious right now?” Villanelle asked, eyebrows shooting up.

“Of course I’m serious. You think I would joke about an attention disorder?”

“The only doctor I have is from The Twelve, so no,” Villanelle said sourly. “And I can pay attention to things if I want to. “This is just—”

“Boring. I know,” Eve interrupted.

“Yes,” Villanelle said, feeling triumphant. “See? You get it.”

“I still want you to see the MI6 doctor.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t like doctors.”

“Let’s talk about this later. Lunch is in two hours, so please be quiet and let me concentrate until then.”

Villanelle wanted to tell her that two hours seemed like a lifetime away. She wanted to tell her that the reason she couldn’t focus was because they were sitting so close. She wanted to tell her a lot of things. But she bit her lip and turned back to the file, trying to be good.

This time she made it almost ten minutes. “Are you sure lunch isn’t like right now?” she asked casually.

Eve didn’t respond with words. She unwound the scarf from her neck and pried Villanelle’s mouth open with a thumb digging into her jaw, stretched the fabric between her teeth and tied it off behind her head. She raised her eyebrows as if to say ‘yes? Do you get it now?’ and then went back to work.

Villanelle sat stunned, eyes wide, breathing carefully through flared nostrils. Holy _shit_. She just stared at Eve for a long time, pulse hammering, and then, impossibly slowly, she turned her eyes to her file.

The words swam on the page, making no sense, which was strange as she was an excellent reader in many languages. She realized it was because she wasn’t actually reading, she was too busy _feeling_. The silk against her face; against her tongue. Every individual stitch of fabric screaming at her to notice it. The pull of the scarf because Eve had tied it so tight; just shy of painful. The swish of material on the back of her neck when the air in the room shifted, making her shiver. The flutter in her belly; the heat between her legs. Eve had most definitely surprised her with this, and she surprised herself with her reaction.

Once she had sorted out which feelings belonged where, she was able to focus on the words in front of her and she finished reading the entire file just before lunch.

Eve was shocked as hell that her impulsive idea had done the trick, but she wasn’t going to squander the time she had bought herself. She doubled down her efforts and was able to come up with a pattern, finally. It turned out to be quite a simple one that she kicked herself for not realizing earlier. Each copycat kill had the exact same amount of time in between as Villanelle’s original kills. “HA!” she exclaimed, bounding out of her seat and toward the bulletin board, making everyone else in the room jump. “Look at this,” she said giddily, slapping her hand over the first two photos on the board. “Villanelle’s job was on April 15th. The copycat started on July 8th.” She slapped the next pair of photos. “Villanelle, April 19th. Copycat, July 12th.” The next set. “Villanelle, April 22nd.” She paused to look over at the woman in question. “Jesus. Busy week, baby?”

Villanelle fluttered her eyelashes innocently and shrugged one shoulder, managing to look coy even with the makeshift scarf gag. The fact that she hadn’t removed it was doing things to Eve, but she could reflect later. She turned back to the board.

“Copycat, July 15th. Everyone see the pattern?”

“Copying the original timeline,” Jamie said thoughtfully. “Is there a significance to the July 8th start date?”

Villanelle realized in that instant that she knew who it was and she popped out of her seat, trying to talk through the gag. That proved useless so she sighed at Eve, giving her an impatient look.

“Yeah yeah, take it off,” Eve said, waving a dismissive hand. “You know something about July 8th?”

Villanelle reached behind her and untied the scarf, ignoring the discomfort in her jaw and joining the others at the board. “I know more than that. I know who is doing this.”

Eve waited, but when that was all that came out, she made a face at Villanelle. “Well? Who?!”

“Her name is Dasha Duzran. She was a… mentor, I suppose you might call it.”

“And July 8th?” Eve pressed.

“Well,” Villanelle said sheepishly, pressing her tongue into her cheek and eyeing the ceiling. “I might have gotten tired of her mentoring.”

Eve didn’t bother waiting this time for an explanation that wouldn’t come without prodding. “Meaning?”

“The details really are insignificant,” Villanelle tried. “I told you who it is. What else matters?”

“Uhhhhh, motive? So we can figure out her end game?” Eve gestured wildly. “What happened on July 8th, Villanelle?”

Villanelle felt her cheeks heating up under Eve’s gaze. “Well… it is possible that she gave me an assignment that was very personal to her. It is possible that instead of completing the assignment, I could have possibly had sex with the target instead just to be an asshole and then declared I was branching out away from her. There is also a slight chance that I shot out both of her kneecaps to keep her from following me.”

Bear, Audrey and Jamie were staring at her in horror but Eve just looked confused.

“Why would you shoot out her kneecaps? Why wouldn’t you just kill her?”

Bear, Audrey and Jamie were now staring at Eve in horror.

“Oh, that’s a very good question, Eve,” Villanelle said, dimples showing as she donned an impeccable smile and pointed at Eve like a star pupil. “I wanted the experience to be painful and for her to be humiliated. Killing her would have robbed me of the satisfaction that her pained little face brought me.”

“But… why did you want to humiliate her if she was your mentor?” Audrey asked slowly; carefully.

“Ugh!” Villanelle grunted, throwing her hands up in the air. “She was bossy!”

Eve raised an eyebrow. “ _I’m_ bossy.”

Villanelle’s dimples worked harder. “And I love that about you,” she purred. “I mean I think that is pretty obvious, am I right?” she asked, glancing at the other three, shoving her hands in her pockets and looking rather smug.

“So on July 8th you’re going to shoot out my kneecaps and declare you’re branching out?” Eve continued in a deadpan.

Villanelle looked disgusted. “Of _course_ not, Eve. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous? You mean logical? You just said you did it because she was bossy. I said I’m bossy and you agreed. How is it ridiculous to think you might do the same to me for the same reason?”

Villanelle groaned. “Because I did not _love_ her, Eve,” she said with a roll of her eyes. This was becoming tiresome. “Can we _please_ go get lunch? I am wasting away, can’t you tell? I solved your little mystery so I deserve to eat.”

Eve bent forward and nudged her shoulder into Villanelle’s hips, wrapping an arm around her thighs and standing.

Villanelle shrieked delightedly and then started laughing. “Perfect. You are going to carry me to lunch? Do not mess up my hair.”

“Maybe I’m going to hogtie you and go to lunch without you,” Eve issued an empty threat.

“You wouldn’t. I am too valuable to be left behind.”

Now Eve laughed, patting her on the butt and carefully setting her down when they reached the doors. “What do you want to eat, asshole?”

“You.”

She should have seen that one coming. “What kind of food do you want to eat, asshole?” she amended.

“Burgers. I’m starving.”

***

They stopped at a hardware store on the way back to Villanelle’s so Eve could buy some rope.

“Who are you planning to kidnap?” Villanelle asked, munching on a leftover fry as she watched Eve shop.

“No one,” Eve shushed her. “Keep your voice down.”

“That is a lot of rope for someone who is not planning a kidnapping,” Villanelle said idly, chewing on another fry.

Eve’s lips twitched up in a smirk. “Why would I need to kidnap you? I already have you.” And she left Villanelle frozen in the fasteners aisle staring after her as she swaggered to the checkout.

Villanelle seriously almost dropped her bag of fries. She would never have forgiven Eve for that.

At the last second Eve realized she had nothing to tie Villanelle to, so she ran back to the fasteners aisle and grabbed a pair of heavy duty eye bolts she could screw into the wall.

***

“What is the rope for?” Villanelle asked for the dozenth time once they were in her apartment relaxing on the sofa.

Eve sighed and tugged Villanelle into her lap. “I would like to tie your wrists,” she said seriously. “If that is something you would consider allowing me to do.”

“You bought the rope before finding out if I would let you use it?” Villanelle asked, deliberately missing the point. “That is not a very exciting kind of risk to take.”

Instead of getting exasperated, Eve was patient. This was Villanelle stalling, not Villanelle being an asshole. She ran her fingers slowly through soft honeyed hair and kissed an even softer cheek. “How do you feel about it?”  
  
Villanelle wasn’t sure how to feel about Eve so easily seeing through her ruse. “I think it would be okay,” she said quietly, dropping her eyes to her lap, where her fingers were urgently tapping.

“Tell me more,” Eve pressed her gently.

“What more is there?”

“What do you mean by ‘okay’, for starters.”

Villanelle did not understand the question. “Okay means okay,” she said with a frown.

“But… does the thought excite you? Does it scare you? Does it not make you feel any type of way?”

“It doesn’t make me feel any type of way,” Villanelle lied.

Eve knew that was bullshit but she let it go for the moment. “Have you been tied up before?”

“Only in training when Dasha taught me how to do it effectively. We took turns.”

“And when it was your turn to be tied up, did it bother you?”

“Bother? Why would it bother me? I was training.”

“Some people can have a panic reaction to being tied up and not able to get free.”

“That would require you to be better than me at using a rope and I doubt that is the case,” Villanelle said without a trace of humor… or modesty. “I will be able to get free.”

“And if you can’t?”

“I will.”

“And if you _can’t_?”

“Then I will be impressed.”

Something occurred to Eve. “I’m not talking about tying your wrists together,” she said suddenly. “I want your arms stretched out to the sides and raised up a little. Like this.” She demonstrated by extending her arms and angling them up to a not-quite-V shape.

Villanelle lost her breath. She would not be able to get free from that type of binding and her bravado was swept out with the tide. “Oh.”

Eve nodded. “Take a few minutes and think about whether you’ll allow me to do that.”

Villanelle didn’t need a few minutes. The sudden pounding between her legs was evidence of how she really felt about the idea. “I will let you.”

“You didn’t take a few minutes to think about it,” Eve pointed out.

“My body told me what to say,” Villanelle replied. “I will have my safety word and you will have shears nearby to cut me loose if I use it. Right?”

“Absolutely,” Eve agreed.

“Is it part of my punishment?” Villanelle half changed the subject.

“Mhmm,” Eve purred.

“Am I allowed to be… excited by it?”

“Of course.”

Villanelle relaxed marginally. She did not know how these types of punishments worked, after all. But she trusted Eve with her mind, body and soul. “And you understand that if anyone else suggested to tie me up and punish me that it would be the last thing they—”

Eve put a finger to Villanelle’s lips to quiet her. “I’m aware,” she said, her eyes dancing with affection. The knowledge that Villanelle was actually going to let her go through with this was… well it sort of destroyed her. In the best possible way. She slid her hands over Villanelle’s arms and down to the buttons on her blazer, freeing them one at a time, and then slid the jacket off of the blonde’s shoulders. With no leverage to anchor it anymore, it fell to the sofa.

Villanelle watched Eve’s hands; her fingers; her fingernails. The tendons in her wrists; the muscles that flexed with each movement. She imagined those fingers inside her and had to close her eyes.

The blouse came next, discarded in similar fashion, and then the bra, a delicate scrap of satin with velvet trim. “Stand up.”

Villanelle’s eyes flew open and she wondered whether her legs would hold her as she pushed to her feet. They did. They weren’t steady, but she stood as proudly as was possible.

“Put your hands behind your back,” Eve said softly, and Villanelle did.

She thought she was going to melt out of her skin when Eve reached for the button of her trousers. “I am going to be naked?” she breathed.

“Yes,” Eve answered. “Please don’t speak unless I ask you to.”

Villanelle set her jaw to keep from responding. Staying quiet was something she had always struggled with. She liked to talk. Loved to talk. Loved to see her words affect the people around her.

Eve lowered the zipper and gave the trousers a little tug to get them over Villanelle’s hips, and the trousers did the rest on their own, pooling around Villanelle’s bare feet. Eve particularly enjoyed the blood red polish on her toenails. “Step out of them,” she said, moving back a pace.

Villanelle stepped forward, leaving her in just her underwear.

“Take off your panties.”

A strangled sound of surprise left Villanelle’s throat and her gaze snapped to Eve’s, her mouth slightly open. One look at Eve, though, and her thumbs were already slipping beneath the waistband and pushing down. She slid them off and nudged them out of the way with one foot, unable to look at Eve again. She had never been naked in front of Eve. What if Eve did not think she was as beautiful as she had come to think herself? These new feelings were intrusive and confusing and she chewed her lower lip, arms folding protectively over her chest.

Eve read Villanelle’s body language instantly and stepped forward, taking hold of both the girl’s hands and moving them out of the way. “You are exquisite,” she breathed. “Don’t hide yourself from me. I want to see everything.”

Villanelle’s jaw trembled. “But what if you—”

“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on,” Eve cut her off. “Every single part of you is the closest thing to perfection that exists. And don’t you dare let that go to your head,” she added with a gentle smirk.

Villanelle’s irrational fears of inadequacy fled in the wake of Eve’s praises. She stood a little taller and put her hands behind her back again, wondering if Eve was going to scold her for speaking.

Eve was not. She recognized the difference between Villanelle’s honesty and bullshit. “Good girl,” she whispered, mouth lingering at Villanelle’s ear to drop a tiny kiss behind it. She would never get tired of being able to make Villanelle shiver. “Come with me.” She drew back and led the way to the barest wall in the apartment, positioning Villanelle against it. “Raise your arms like I showed you before.”

Villanelle’s clit pulsed and she lifted her arms to the almost-V shape Eve had demonstrated a few minutes ago.

“Don’t move.” Eve drew a fingertip down the middle of her torso and then disappeared to the kitchen, returning only seconds later with the eye bolts and a pair of garden shears in one hand and the coils of rope in the other. She set down everything but the bolts.

Villanelle’s chest heaved, nostrils flared, belly tightened.

Eve screwed one bolt in on each side, using Villanelle’s hands as a guide. “Put your arms down,” she said when she was finished.

Villanelle was glad for that because her muscles were starting to strain. She lowered her hands to her sides, trying to control her breathing. She was impressed with herself for staying quiet this long.

Eve uncoiled one length of rope and stood in front of Villanelle again, rubbing the slightly coarse material over the girl’s cheek. “What is your safe word?” she asked.

“Red,” Villanelle replied, curbing her sass. Did Eve really think she was going to forget that?

“Do you need to use it now?”

She only _just_ refrained from rolling her eyes. It was difficult. “No.”

“I suggest you appreciate the fact that I’m checking in with you instead of resenting it,” Eve said casually, picking up Villanelle’s right arm.

Villanelle didn’t respond but her cheeks flushed a little pink and she cast her eyes to the floor.

Eve trailed the rope down from shoulder to fingertips, then began to wrap it around Villanelle’s wrist. It was thin enough to be able to tie into effective knots and thick enough not to slice into her skin. Her choice in the store may have seemed whimsical but it was actually quite calculated. She made three loops and tied it off, then fed the other end through the eye bolt and tugged until Villanelle’s arm was back in the position she wanted it in. She tied off that end and ran her fingers down Villanelle’s arm. “Okay?”

Villanelle wasn’t sure she could speak, her throat was so dry. “Yes,” she answered, barely a sound coming out.

“Pull on it. Try to get free.”

Villanelle gave a hefty tug, but all it did was tighten the rope around her wrist so she stopped. She shook her head.

“It will tighten if you pull,” Eve stated aloud what Villanelle had just learned. “Which means you need to be very good, doesn’t it?”

Villanelle’s eyelids fluttered and she nodded.

“If you feel any numbness or tingling in your hands, tell me immediately, understand? Repeat that back to me.”

“If I feel any numbness or tingling in my hands, tell you immediately,” Villanelle whispered, voice cracking on almost every word.

“Good girl,” Eve purred, kissing her cheek. “I have your arms at an angle that shouldn’t make your hands numb, so if they start tingling it means the rope is too tight. It’s very important that I know right away.”

Villanelle leaned into the kiss, wanting it to last forever. God, the things Eve could do to her with just a kiss or a word or even a look. No one had affected her this way before, not even Anna. She realized Eve was expecting an acknowledgement so she nodded again. “I will tell you.”

“You’re feeing okay with this so far?”

“Yes.”

Eve uncoiled the second rope and slid one hand over Villanelle’s left shoulder and down her arm, lifting it as she had done with the other. She wrapped the rope around Villanelle’s wrist three times and tied it, then secured the other end to the eye bolt. “Tug on that one.”

Villanelle’s knees threatened to buckle now that both her hands were tied, but she obediently tugged with her left arm and got the same result as before, shaking her head at Eve to communicate that.

Eve’s phone buzzed and she took it out of her pocket, grinning at the message. Perfect timing. Well, no. Perfect would have been just before she tied Villanelle to the wall, but this was close enough. “I have to grab something from the hall… are you okay if I’m gone for about fifteen seconds or should I untie one of your hands first?” Generally she wouldn’t leave Villanelle tied up if she wasn’t right beside her, but   
they were in the living room and she would be in sight the whole time just grabbing the bag Elena had dropped off outside the door.

Villanelle’s brain _screamed_ at her to ask what Eve was getting from the hall and she bit her cheek in an effort to curb the urge. “It is okay,” she said in a rush.

“Be right back,” Eve said with a grin. She really was gone for fifteen seconds, collecting the bag, locking the door and returning to Villanelle. She could see Villanelle’s jaw grinding, face going red with the effort it was taking to not ask what was in the bag. She set the bag on the coffee table and reached inside, pulling out a beautiful, expensive leather flogger with soft but thin tails.

“Eve,” Villanelle said, wide eyes tracking every microscopic movement of the whip as Eve hefted it in her hands. “What is _that_?”

“It’s a flogger, baby,” Eve said with a suggestive smirk, running the falls through her fingers. “Did I ask you to speak?”

Villanelle whimpered and shook her head, eyes still trained on the foreign object. Not that she didn’t get the general idea or she’d never watched kinky porn before, but seeing Eve with something like that was… unnerving, really. In a totally sexy kind of way, but still very unnerving.

Eve set the flogger on the coffee table and moved close to Villanelle again, sliding a hand behind her head to tangle in her hair. Lightly at first, and then she gave a fierce squeeze, making Villanelle gasp. “You look so fucking hot like this,” she hissed, trailing her lips across a trembling jaw and leaving a little mark just above her chin. She moved back and admired the view for a few long seconds before taking the band from her wrist and piling Villanelle’s hair up into a messy bun.

It was very warm, though the day was cold. Villanelle was afraid her skin was going to melt off.

“Are you nervous?” Eve asked.

“What? No,” she said instantly. But of course she was nervous. What did Eve think, that she went around letting people tie her up and whip her?

Eve’s jaw dropped. “You’re gonna stand there and lie to me?”

“I am not nervous,” Villanelle insisted with a tremor in her voice. “Maybe I’m just impatient.”

Eve could work with that. She sat on the coffee table and crossed her legs at the knee, leaning back on her hands and just waiting.

Now it was Villanelle’s turn to be thrown off. Her jaw dropped a little as well and she stared at Eve. “What are you doing?”

Eve didn’t answer. She just waited, a leisurely expression on her face.

Villanelle growled in frustration and tugged on the ropes. “Untie me,” she demanded.

“Are you using your safe word?” Eve asked, reaching for the shears.

“Let me out of these stupid fucking ropes!” Villanelle said instead.

Eve’s hand dropped behind her again and she swung her foot back and forth while she hummed. “You know what to say to get out of those ropes,” she said dismissively and went back to waiting.

“I am going to take those shears and—”

Eve stood up, flogger clutched in her hand and cracked it without any warning across Villanelle’s stomach.

Villanelle shrieked and completely froze, her struggle forgotten as a shudder ripped through her and her cunt pulsed hard. She looked down at the forming red lines, which only made her arousal sharper, and for a split second she did not know what to do. She figured it out quickly, however, and drew her eyes back up to Eve’s. “I am nervous,” she admitted, tears in her eyes.

Eve stepped forward and cradled Villanelle’s face with her free hand. “That’s all I wanted to know,” she whispered, stroking her thumb back and forth across a flushed cheek. “Be honest with me. And do not threaten me.”

Her face burned with shame now and she couldn’t hold Eve’s gaze. “I’m sorry,” she choked out, eyes starting to sting.

Eve nodded, dropping her hand from Villanelle’s face to trace a line across her stomach. “How did this feel?”

Villanelle wasn’t sure she knew how to put it into words. “Righteous,” she finally decided. “Painful but deserved, and… very stimulating.”

“You mean it made you wet?” Eve asked, a smirk slowly forming.

“Yes.”

“Because of the way it felt physically or because I did it to punish you?”

“Both.”

“Mmm,” Eve crooned. She liked that answer. “Are you going to behave now?”

“I—” Villanelle started to protest the question but quickly stopped herself and almost pouted. “Yes.”

“Good girl.” Eve leaned in for a gentle kiss, letting it linger for a few seconds before she pulled back. “I am going to use this on your breasts… you’re going to be raw and sore, baby. Okay?”

Villanelle made a strangled noise, somehow enthralled by the idea instead of fearful. Well, maybe a little fearful, but the way Eve said it, so matter-of-factly, it did things to Villanelle she never would have expected. She squeezed her thighs together and leaned her head back on the wall. “Okay.” It was quiet and resigned, but not hesitant. “Eve?”

“Yes?”

“Can I have another kiss first?”

Oh Jesus. Eve wasn’t prepared for that sweet, adorable request and she tried not to flail at the cuteness, barely managing to be successful. “You can,” she said, her voice low and measured to keep the sappiness out of it. She leaned in and captured Villanelle’s lips, letting the kiss last longer this time, sliding her tongue out to tease and lick her way around before pushing it inside.

Villanelle let out a quiet groan, eyes closing, relishing the taste and the way it felt. It was over all too soon and Eve was stepping back.

“How are your hands?”

“They are fine.” She wiggled her fingers to be sure. “Yes, they are fine.”

Eve nodded, pooling her resources to be able to get through this. “I’m going to punish you now.”

Villanelle’s mouth twitched, along with her wrists, another shudder rocking through her. “Yes, Eve.”

“Make sure you keep your head up,” Eve told her, starting to swing the flogger in a figure eight pattern, warming up her hand and getting a feel for its arc. When she was confident enough, she stepped forward, laying the falls lightly across Villanelle’s bare chest.

Villanelle sucked in a gasping breath, expecting it to hurt, but Eve hit her lightly and she relaxed the breath back out. A few more soft hits fell that barely stung before Eve gave her a good one, making her cry out and arch her back. Her nipples started to throb, the skin of her breasts singing with the lash. Before she had time to wrap her brain around it another one fell, another cry leaving her lips. Oh. _Oh_ … It was so deliciously painful that her vision blurred around the edges. Everything was magnified for a moment – sweat dripping down the back of her neck, fire across her chest, her heart trying to sink into her belly, the wetness between her legs. “Eve,” she choked, throwing her head to the side, then the other side when she couldn’t get comfortable.

“Shh,” Eve said, drawing a finger across Villanelle’s lips. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes,” Villanelle said almost desperately.

Eve’s mouth quirked into a half smirk and she stepped back again to deliver another punishing strike, focusing on the peak of Villanelle’s right breast and her nipple.

Villanelle shrieked and jerked on the ropes without thinking, feeling them chafe and forcing her hands to relax. Eve gave her left breast the same treatment and this time she was prepared, a groan escaping instead of that embarrassing girly shriek. She didn’t think her nipples had ever been so hard. What she would do for Eve to put her mouth—“Aah!” she yelled at the next lash, having been distracted by her thoughts and thus unprepared to receive it.

Eve was impressed with herself for not coming in her pants at the mess of red lines across Villanelle’s chest and her rock-hard nipples. And those sounds. Fuck. She set the flogger down and moved into her girl’s space, hands resting on shaking hips. “How are you doing?” she asked, her voice all smoke and no sugar.

“Good,” Villanelle panted, pressing herself as close to Eve as she could without pulling on the ropes. “Really turned on,” she admitted a second later, her accent thickening.

“Yeah,” Eve agreed, just stopping herself from adding ‘tell me about it’. “Does it hurt?” she asked instead.

“A lot.”

“Are you okay?”

“You already asked me that.”

Eve snickered, figuring she should have guessed that sweet submission wouldn’t go uninterrupted. Honestly though, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She found Villanelle to be perfect just the way she was. “I’m asking again. Are you okay?”

“ _Yes_ , Eve.”

“Your hands?”

She wiggled her fingers for show. “They are fine.” _Please touch me_ , she begged in her head.

“I really can’t even tell you how hot you look right now,” Eve said a moment later. “Can I take a picture? Just for me,” she added the last part quickly. “I would never let anyone else see it.”

Villanelle’s eyes danced with fury for half a second before the idea started to grow on her. “You have to let _me_ see it,” she gave her conditions.

Giddy at getting permission to immortalize this moment, Eve whipped out her phone and was about to take a picture when she saw the face Villanelle was making. “Hey. Eyes on the floor and no smirking,” she said, waiting for compliance before she hit the red button and captured the masterful work of art on camera. She checked to make sure there were no issues with image storage or anything like that before she put her phone away and reached for Villanelle’s left wrist. “Still hurt?” she asked as she began the process of untying.

“Yes,” Villanelle answered, then muttered under her breath, “so rude.”

Eve bit her lip and finished with Villanelle’s left hand, rubbing her slightly chafed wrist for a few seconds before gently lowering her arm to her side and setting about untying the other one. She rubbed that one too and then kissed her girl, affectionate but with a touch of possession simmering.

“What now?” Villanelle asked breathlessly when the kiss ended.

“Now I take care of you.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sweetness, some humor, some angst.
> 
> The Russian, in order:  
> I am Katherina Vasilieva and this is my assistant. An errand boy, if you like. I believe that you expect us.  
> I am her husband.  
> I'm sure this counts as sexual harassment, don't you think?  
> Your two o'clock is here.

Villanelle was a little weak in the knees, so she was secretly grateful when Eve scooped her up and carried her to the sofa. “Getting taken care of does sound really kind of nice,” she said with a contented sigh. Her chest still felt like it was on fire.

Eve changed her mind and took Villanelle to the bedroom instead. She’d be more comfortable there and it was closer to the bathroom. She laid Villanelle on the bed and gently grabbed both sides of her face, pressing a kiss to her forehead. First things first, she needed to tell Villanelle she was proud. “You did so well, baby,” she said, unable to keep the deep-rooted affection out of her voice. “You were so, so good…”

Villanelle’s airway constricted for the briefest of seconds and she let out a slow breath. “You are proud of me, Eve?” she whispered, some unnamed emotion simmering just out of reach.

“I am so proud,” Eve whispered back, smoothing her hands over Villanelle’s messy bun. “I feel like my chest is glowing…” She kissed Villanelle gently and pulled back, standing. “Let me get a wet cloth, baby, I’ll be right back.” This was why she wanted to be close to the bathroom. She wet a washcloth with cold water – a smirk and a chuckle when she noticed the COYUCHI label, because of course – and walked back over to Villanelle. “COYUCHI? Really?” she asked, sitting beside her naked girlfriend—er… friend. More than friend. Yes, girlfriend.

“Those are hand woven in Turkey,” Villanelle said fondly.

Eve chuckled again, folding the cloth in half and gently dragging it along one of the welts on her girlfriend’s chest.

Villanelle was just starting to appreciate the way Eve’s mirth reached all the way to her wide, shining eyes, adoring the little crinkles at the corners, when Eve touched her with the wet cloth and she let out a groan. “Eve, that feels so good,” she said in appreciation.

“Mmm, does it?” Eve purred, reaching the end of one welt and starting on another. “Is it soothing the sting?”

“I don’t think anything will soothe the sting right now, but it feels sooooo nice,” Villanelle said, eyes closing.

“Anything?” Eve breathed, replacing the cloth with her tongue, licking along the most grievously raised line and wrapping her lips around a stiffening nipple.

Villanelle’s previous groan paled in comparison to the noise she let out when she felt Eve’s tongue on her skin. Her nerve endings flicked to life, both nipples at attention again and she squirmed beneath the sensual assault. “Maybe that,” she said, half incoherent, her eyes struggling to open. She wanted to see Eve’s head at her chest, that amazing hair almost close enough to bury her face in.

“Yeah? Is it helping?” Eve licked her way across to the other nipple, bathing it with gentle open-mouthed kisses until Villanelle arched up off the bed, effectively making her touch a bit firmer.

“What was the question?” Villanelle asked, putting her arms above her head so she didn’t grab Eve’s hair and take control of the whole situation.

Eve chuckled against her breast, sending vibrations through it, and withdrew her mouth. “I asked if my tongue was helping soothe the sting,” she repeated coyly.

“Yes,” Villanelle said, desperate to have Eve’s mouth back on her. “Yes, very much. Please… It hurts so badly again without your tongue…”

Eve let out a genuine laugh at that one, but she obliged, running her tongue over every inch of Villanelle’s chest, sometimes using just the tip and sometimes flattening it to cover more surface area. She had her girlfriend panting and moaning and squirming all over the place by the time she stopped again. And she liked referring to Villanelle as her girlfriend in her head. “How are you feeling?” she asked, moving a sweaty lock of hair out of Villanelle’s eyes. “Honestly.”

“Like I can’t breathe without you touching me,” Villanelle answered. She knew that sounded a little dramatic, but at that very second it was how she felt.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Eve promised. “I’ve started thinking of you as my girlfriend in my head, you know…”

Villanelle gasped, eyes going wide, her previous non-breathe-y feeling vanishing at this news and she pushed herself up to a sitting position, childlike excitement taking over her expression. “Your girlfriend?” she questioned.

Villanelle’s excited smile-slash-smirk was adorable, and the way her eyes seemed to literally shine was just as precious. “Yeah,” Eve answered simply.

Villanelle showed her teeth just a bit, her lip curled under on one side of her mouth. “I would love to be your girlfriend, Eve.”

“Well that’s good,” Eve laughed.

“Yes. This could have gotten really awkward otherwise,” Villanelle teased.

“Somehow I don’t think I was in any danger of rejection…”

“How presumptuous,” Villanelle said, crinkling her nose and pursing her lips.

“Am I wrong?”

“Of course you are not wrong, Eve. But you are still presumptuous.” She laid back down with a goofy smile on her face. “Are you coming with me to Milano tomorrow?”

“Konstantin is going with you.”

Villanelle groaned in the most put-out fashion Eve had ever heard. “Nooooo,” she complained. “I want you to come.”

“I can’t. I’m working. And besides, I don’t speak Russian or Italian. I’d blow your cover. And remember what Carolyn said? No resorting to violence or you don’t get paid.”

Villanelle’s eyes went from shining to murderous, her jaw clenched, muscles in her face quivering.

“Hey,” Eve said, attempting to ward off the storm. “You can’t always have everything you want, and you can’t always shut down like that. Talk to me, instead of getting angry and clamming up.”

Villanelle’s eyes shined with tears now and she turned her face away from Eve. She did not like feeling this way – helpless; not in control of outside influences on their time together. “I will miss you,” she whispered.

“Baby,” Eve said, gathering her up in her arms and squeezing. “I’ll miss you too. But it’s only two days, and we can talk on the phone. Please be a good girl for me?”

Villanelle hated the thought of being away from Eve, but she wanted to make her girlfriend happy so she ended up nodding as she hid her face in Eve’s neck.

“I’ll even stay here instead of at my own apartment if you want,” Eve offered.

Villanelle wasn’t quite sure why that loosened the vise in her chest a little, but it did and she nodded again. “I would like that.”

“Okay, I’ll do that,” Eve confirmed.

“So where did you learn to use a whip like that?” Villanelle asked as her focus was drawn once more to the burn across her chest.

“I had a boyfriend in college who—”

“Never mind,” Villanelle interrupted. “I do _not_ want to hear about that.”

Eve chuckled but respected her boundary and stopped the explanation.

“Will you sleep in the bed with me tonight?” Villanelle changed the subject.

“After you were my perfect little angel? Absolutely,” Eve hummed, kissing the top of her head.

***

“Я Катерина Васильева и это мой помощник. Мальчик на побегушках, если хотите. Нас уже должны ждать.”

Konstantin did his very best not to react to being called an assistant, but at ‘errand boy’ he let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Я ее муж,” he said just to piss her off.

Villanelle’s jaw trembled with the effort not to scowl and she forced a very girly laugh, putting a hand to her heart as she looked at the receptionist. “Я уверена, что это уже считается сексуальным домогательством, разве не так?”

Konstantin’s smile vanished and he grunted his dissatisfaction.

The receptionist didn’t speak to either one of them, he simply picked up the phone and hit a button, waited half a second, and then spoke into the receiver. “Ваши два часа уже здесь.”

***

“You piece of shit,” Villanelle said, smacking Konstantin in the arm with the back of her hand as soon as they were walking away from the consulate. “In what world is anyone going to believe you are my husband?”

“In what world is anyone going to believe I am your assistant?”

“You are my assistant.”

He gave her that look reserved just for her. “No I am not.”

“You aaaaaaare,” she said in a sing-song voice, walking with an exaggerated heel-toe cadence.

“I am not,” he continued to argue. “I am your manager.”

“Manage this,” she said, curling her tongue to make a U-shape and sticking it out at him before running away.

“Oh my God,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head and veering off to get some food. He would see her later at the hotel.

As he was chewing a deliciously decadent piece of penne pasta doused in alfredo sauce, a little payback thought hit him and he texted Eve.

_Your girlfriend is not behaving._

Eve was deep in thought staring at Dasha’s latest crime scene photos trying to pinpoint anything that would hint toward… well… anything… when her phone buzzed. She glanced absently at the text and then did a double take, raising her eyebrows.

_This surprises you?_

Konstantin wiped his mouth with a napkin and chuckled.

_No. Just keeping you in the loop._

Eve smirked at the phone.

_You want me to do something about it, don’t you?_

Konstantin’s chuckle got a little louder.

_Yes._

“I knew it,” Eve said, prompting the others to look her way, but when she didn’t acknowledge them they went back to what they were doing.

_What did she do, exactly?_

Konstantin relayed the list of grievous offenses and then leaned back in his chair, hands folded across his stomach, a satisfied smile on his face as he closed his eyes and appreciated the fresh, crisp air.

***

Villanelle was sashaying into a jewelry store near the hotel when her phone rang. “Eve!” she said excitedly, putting it to her ear.

“Where are you?” Eve asked.

“At a jewelry store,” Villanelle said as if she were revealing a big secret.

“Turn your little ass right around and go to your hotel room,” Eve demanded without preamble, “and put yourself in time out.”

Villanelle almost dropped the phone, her face a picture of scandalized surprise. “What? But why?”

“Are you—are you arguing with me?” Eve asked, eyebrows shooting up even though they were just on the phone.

“No,” Villanelle whined, glancing longingly at all of the jewelry with her name on it as she trudged out of the shop and hailed a cab. “I’m going.”

A shiver of excitement sort of attacked Eve at the compliance. “Call me the second you’re in the room with the door shut and I’ll explain.” And she hung up.

Villanelle stared at the phone as if it was the thing that had betrayed her and caused her to miss out on jewelry shopping. Nove25 was her favorite. She groaned dramatically and stretched out in the back seat, pouting until they reached the hotel.

She paid the driver, giving him a shitty tip because if she had to suffer, so did everyone else, and made her way up to the room she had been assigned. She called Eve after the door was shut and made sure the adjoining door was locked so Konstantin couldn’t interrupt.

“You’re in your room?” Eve asked by way of hello.

“Yeeeees,” she said with a frown, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Why am I being on time out?”

“Because I was informed that you’re not behaving.”

“Uh!” Villanelle protested, jaw dropping. “That little _weasel_!” She growled the word ‘weasel’ like she was grinding someone’s skull with her teeth.

“So you don’t deny it?”

“Of course I deny it. I’ve told you before, Eve, I am perfectly behaved.”

“Did you call Konstantin your errand boy and then run away from him?” Eve asked point blank.

Villanelle rolled her eyes to the ceiling and scoffed. “So what? He called himself my husband.”

“Who would believe he’s your husband?” Eve got momentarily sidetracked.

“EXACTLY!” Villanelle shouted. “You would have run away from him too.”

“Hang on, that’s not the point,” Eve said, shaking her head to clear the distraction. “You’re on a job. He’s your handler. You can’t just run away from him.”

“The job is done and we are staying at the same hotel. Why can’t I run away from him? He is _so_ annoying.”

“He is there to protect you, baby,” Eve decided to go for the guilt angle. “You wouldn’t want me to worry, would you? Or to be jealous?”

“Jealous?” Villanelle perked up. This conversation just got a little interesting.

“If you’re out wandering around town, dozens of chicks are gonna be looking at you, and I’m not there to fend them off.”

“ _Eve_ ,” Villanelle said, scooting up the bed to lean against the pillows lining the headboard. “Are you trying to make me come in my pants?”

“You’re wearing pants?” Eve asked. “You’re supposed to—”

“Figuratively speaking,” Villanelle interrupted. “I’m wearing the dress you told me to wear. And the award for missing the point entirely goes to… Eve Polastri!” She held the phone between her ear and her shoulder so she could raucously clap while she cheered and whistled.

“Stop making so much noise,” Eve complained. “Someone’s going to call the front desk.”

“You sound like Konstantin,” Villanelle said with obvious disgust.

“Are you sure you want to go there when you’re already in trouble?” Eve asked.

Villanelle groaned, then huffed, then whined, flopping around on the bed. “I don’t want to be in trouble, Eve, I want to go _shopping_. Nove25 is closing in an hour and I won’t have time before the flight in the morning…”

“If you apologize to Konstantin without rolling your eyes, threatening him, or doing anything to detract from the sincerity of your apology, you can go shopping.”

“I am not apologizing to that giant pig in an inferior suit.”

Eve almost laughed. “That’s incredibly rude.”

“He is rude! And have you seen him eat? His beard should pay for half of his food because that is where half of it ends up!”

Eve shoved her hand in her mouth and bit down to keep quiet as her shoulders shook with laughter. “I’m sending you a zoom invitation. Get out your computer and set it up so I can watch you stand in the corner for fifteen minutes.”

“ _WHAT?!_ ” Villanelle didn’t know her voice could reach that pitch.

“Fifteen minutes, Oksana,” Eve said, putting steel in her voice. “ _Now_.”

Villanelle’s breath hitched and she grabbed her laptop from her briefcase, set it on the bed and opened it. That name and Eve’s tone of voice made her shiver and stop messing about. She found the invite and logged in to the meeting, her breath hitching again when Eve came into view on the screen. “Hi,” she gushed, as though they hadn’t already been talking.

“Hi,” Eve said, wishing she could reach out and touch her.

“You look beautiful.”

“I look like shit. Don’t try to butter me up.”

“No, you really look beautiful,” Villanelle said, reaching out to rest a single fingertip on the screen.

Eve softened just a trace. “You always think I look beautiful,” she said. “Please do as I asked, though.”

Villanelle turned the laptop until it viewed one corner of the hotel room, her hands clenching into fists. How could she tell Eve that it wasn’t fair without sounding like she was arguing? How could she tell Eve that she hadn’t meant to misbehave? That she was only playing with Konstantin, that they always teased each other like that? How could she tell Eve that she missed her so much it felt like there was a hole in her chest and that she’d been so happy to see Eve was calling her until they started talking and now she felt so alone?

Her thoughts scrambled and then attacked her all at once and her eyes filled with too many tears to hold in, a few escaping to trail down her cheeks. She could use her safe word, but Eve wasn’t making her feel unsafe. Just lonely. And sad. So she went and stood in the corner, with nothing to occupy her mind but her own thoughts.

Eve set the timer on her phone and kept one eye on Villanelle while she finished straightening her desk, preparing to go home. Or… to Villanelle’s apartment.

About five minutes in she heard a noise that had her eyes glued to the screen, head pressed forward to try to hear more clearly. She gasped when she realized what she was hearing. “Villanelle?” she asked. “Baby, are you crying?”

Villanelle didn’t want to admit that, but she didn’t want to lie to Eve either, so she just didn’t answer. She pressed herself tighter into the corner and leaned her forehead on the wall, as if it could protect her from her emotions.

Eve’s heart lurched, her chest constricting, and she shut off the timer on her phone. “Hey, hey, come back over to the laptop,” she said, watching Villanelle shake her head no. “Baby,” she begged. “Come on… come talk to me. Please…” Her pulse was jumping around, sending her brain panic signals.

The pleading got to Villanelle and she wiped her eyes on the backs of her hands, finally turning and walking back to the bed. She climbed under the covers and pulled the computer onto her lap, grabbing one of the pillows and hugging it to her chest.

It was killing Eve not to be there right now. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice breaking. “I’m sorry I made you cry, baby…”

Villanelle adored being called baby, and Eve’s apology broke the floodgates, everything tumbling out of her mouth unchecked. “I was only playing with Konstantin, we always do that with each other, and I was so happy you called until you were upset with me and needed to punish me, and it wasn’t fair because I was just playing, but I didn’t want to argue with you, and I just feel so _alone_ ,” she cried. She hadn’t anticipated that being so far away from Eve would affect her quite like this. She’d known she wasn’t going to like it, but this clawing emptiness was unbearable.

“Oh my God,” Eve said, running her hands over the screen in a futile attempt to touch her girlfriend. They were going to have to have a talk about the difference between arguing and expressing feelings, but for now… “I am so sorry, baby. I wish you were here with me right now so I could hold you… I never want you to feel alone, especially not like that. I know we’re like nine hundred miles apart but I’m right here with you, Villanelle. I’m here, okay?” Jesus, she felt horrible. “Can you forgive me, baby?”

Villanelle swiped at the tears still falling and managed a weak nod. “Of course,” she whispered. “Always.”

“Why don’t you and Konstantin order a movie and eat popcorn?” Eve suggested, hating the fact that she felt so powerless.

“I’m just going to go to sleep,” Villanelle said quietly. The sooner she slept, the sooner morning would come, and thus her flight home to Eve.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You maybe won't want to read this chapter in front of... any other people at all.

Eve got to the airport an hour early just in case the flight was ahead of schedule and she stood at the baggage claim waiting impatiently for Villanelle. And Konstantin, but mostly Villanelle.

When she saw them heading toward her she literally ran across the airport floor and threw her arms around her girlfriend. “Baby, I’m so sorry,” she gushed. “I’m so sorry… are you okay? Were you able to sleep or were you too upset?”

Villanelle wriggled out of the hug, a blush on her cheeks. “Eve, what are you talking about? I was completely fine. You are being so overprotective right now,” she said, solely because of Konstantin’s presence, who suddenly had a gleeful expression like he’d just won the lottery.

“What? Are you sure?” Eve asked, not wanting to let herself off the hook so easily. “But you were crying…”

“Aaah, haha,” Konstantin barked in that way of his that suggested he was the one person who was having the best time in the entire world. Seriously, like it was impossible for anyone else to be having as much fun as him.

Villanelle blushed to the tips of her ears even though Eve punched Konstantin in the arm. “Eve, can I talk to you alone for a minute? It is something _really_ important and _really_ private.” When Konstantin made no move to leave them alone, she added loudly, “it’s about my period,” while glaring directly at him.

His grin soured and he practically huffed. “I’ll go get the bags,” he said, glaring right back at her before he turned and walked off.

Clueless, Eve’s brows furrowed in worry. “What’s going on with your period?”

“ _Eve_ ,” Villanelle whined. “Nothing is going on with my period. I just wanted him to go away because you were embarrassing me in front of him.” She stepped forward and wrapped herself around Eve, inhaling a deep breath, needing her scent. “I was so upset last night, I was not fine at all. I just didn’t want him to know that. He is such a bully. I mean did you hear him laugh like a really unstable person when you said about me crying?”

Eve may have started off slowly but she caught up quickly, giving Villanelle a squeeze. “You want him to think you’re still always the tough girl,” she said in understanding. She hadn’t anticipated that because Villanelle’s reaction to being gagged and scolded in front of her co-workers had been pretty positive. She probably should have had at least some idea, though, since Konstantin and Villanelle were so close. It was a lot easier to do things in front of strangers that you wouldn’t do in front of your friends and family.

“I missed you so much, Eve,” Villanelle said shakily. “I did not know it was possible to miss someone that much.”

“I missed you too,” Eve confessed. “I wanted to jump through the computer and bring you home with me.”

“You did?” Villanelle asked, surprised to hear Eve say that she missed her too. That just didn’t seem like the kind of thing Eve usually admitted.

“I did,” Eve nodded. “It hurt so much to see you cry and not be able to make it better.”

“But you did make it better,” Villanelle pointed out. “You let me out of the corner and stopped being disappointed with me. That made it better.”

“Let’s go,” Eve decided. “We can talk more at home. I just want to get you home.”

***

They dropped Konstantin off at Carolyn’s and picked up Chinese takeout on the way home. Eve put away the leftovers in the fridge and grabbed Villanelle, who was doing the dishes, dragging her away from the sink, wet hands and all.

“Eve!” Villanelle flailed, reaching out, just able to grab the towel from where it hung on the stove and dry her hands. “My dishes!”

“What about them?” Eve murmured, nuzzling her nose against the back of Villanelle’s ear.

“I hate dirty dishes,” Villanelle complained. “When have you ever seen any dirty dishes in my sink?”

Eve pursed her lips. “Well… never, I guess.”

“Let me finish washing and then I am all yours,” Villanelle said sweetly, turning around in Eve’s arms and kissing her jaw. “We can talk about aaaaanything you want.”

“You have five minutes,” Eve decided, letting her go.

Villanelle’s face lit up at getting her way and she finished the few dishes left in less than the allotted five minutes. She found Eve on the sofa. “All yours,” she purred.

“Sit on my lap,” Eve told her, arms going around her when she complied. “I guess what I want to talk about is the difference between arguing and expressing your feelings or fears.”

“Okay,” Villanelle agreed, leaning her head on Eve’s shoulder to listen. She _loved_ being so close.

“I just… I’m sorry you were so sad,” Eve gushed. “I never want you to feel alone like that… if I punish you, I want you to feel punished, but not… not heartbroken. Well, unless you broke my heart first.”

“I would never break your heart, Eve,” Villanelle protested. “I mean not now that we belong to each other.”

“Thank you for the distinction,” Eve drolled.

“You know what I mean,” Villanelle said with a little grin.

“If you ever get any truly negative feelings from a punishment, I want you to let me know. I won’t consider it arguing. I mean you’re not supposed to enjoy it, per se, but it’s supposed to be a bit of an illicit thrill, right?”

“Right,” Villanelle nodded. “When you spanked me… those tears were very different to last night.”

“Exactly,” Eve said, glad Villanelle understood, because it was incredibly hard to explain. “So if last night ever happens again, you’ll talk to me?”

“I will do my best,” Villanelle offered honestly.

“Your best is all I could hope for,” Eve replied, kissing the side of her head. “Oh, one other thing. You said you were embarrassed in front of Konstantin. Was that because I said you cried or that you were upset? Or was that because you didn’t want him to know that you let me be the bossy pants?”

Villanelle wriggled on her lap. “I don’t want him to know I was upset because he will tease me about it,” she frowned. “The other part, the bossy pants, I do not care if everyone in the entire world knows that, Eve. No one would make the mistake of trying to do that to me in your place. You are the only one I want to be that way with and anything that makes people jealous makes me happy.”

“You are an asshole!” Eve laughed.

“I am _such_ an asshole,” Villanelle agreed. “But let’s be real. You love that about me.”

“God help me, I do,” Eve said, still laughing.

“What would you do if I wasn’t an asshole?” Villanelle’s dimples were showing when she picked up her head to smile coyly at Eve.

“I’d be sad,” Eve laughed. “Bored. But mostly sad.”

“Your entire world view would come crashing down,” Villanelle added. “You would not know what to do with yourself.”

“I guess it’s a good thing you’re such an asshole, then." When she finally stopped laughing she bit her lip and eyed Villanelle sideways. “Can I ask you something about Anna?” She watched Villanelle’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Oh. Well, sure, if you want to.”

“Did she ever spank you? I mean she was your teacher so…”

Villanelle’s jaw dropped a little. “No,” she said, feeling her cheeks heat up. “She was very gentle. I tried to get her to be a little rough but she always treated me like I was about to break.”

Eve brought a hand up to trail a finger along Villanelle’s cheek, scratching lightly back and forth. “But I don’t treat you like that, do I?”

“No,” Villanelle acknowledged, pulse fluttering. “Except when you pick me up at the airport in front of Konstantin,” she added with a tiny smirk.

Eve laughed again and then suddenly the humor was gone, hand wrapped tightly around Villanelle’s messy bun, her eyes dancing across flushed cheeks and a slightly open mouth. “Still funny?” she asked, voice low.

“No,” Villanelle breathed, heart in her throat.

“Do you want me to be rough with you, Villanelle?” Her grip strained and she could see the discomfort on Villanelle’s face.

“Yes.” Villanelle was in awe of this woman. And not just because of her hair.

“I want to hear you ask for it.”

Jesus Christ… Her eyes threatened to roll back in her head and she swallowed, already starting to breathe in small pants. “Please, Eve, I want you to be rough with me,” she choked out.

Eve’s grin was borderline wicked. “The please was good, but did the rest of that sound like asking to you? Because to me, it sounded like you telling me what you want.” She tugged on Villanelle’s bun, mussing up her hair a little bit.

Villanelle’s pulse traveled at light speed to linger between her legs, making her hyper aware of how wet she already was. “Please, Eve, will you please be rough with me?” she tried again.

“Much better,” Eve praised her, relaxing the grip on her hair. “Bare your ass and get on your knees on the sofa. Bend over the arm of it and wait.” She let go entirely and moved Villanelle off her lap, disappearing into the bedroom.

Villanelle let out some kind of noise she had no name for; she only knew it was very desperate sounding. Her hands shook as she undid her pants and pushed them down, then fumbled to get her panties to join them. Her heartbeat roared in her ears and she didn’t even want to guess what Eve was doing in the bedroom. She got quickly to her knees and leaned forward, resting her chest on the arm of the sofa, hoping this was what Eve had in mind, and waited.

Eve came back with a thick leather belt she’d folded in half, and almost tripped over her feet staring at Villanelle, who had done exactly as she asked. She couldn’t help the surge of affection that shrouded her at the way Villanelle’s cheek was resting on folded hands, sharing the arm of the sofa with her chest, which was pressed into the side of it. She looked the picture of innocence if not for the position she was in and her trousers and knickers around her knees.

She shook herself out of staring and closed the distance between them, leaning down to place a kiss on Villanelle’s upturned temple. “Remember your safe word, baby,” she said even though she knew Villanelle would remember, and then she straightened up, laid a hand on Villanelle’s lower back, and cracked the belt across her ass.

Villanelle screamed bloody murder and her hands unfolded, fingers digging into the material beneath her until she was sure threads of expensive fabric had wound themselves under her fingernails. She pressed her forehead into the sofa’s arm as well, her entire body tensing at the blow.

Another one came and she yelled again, albeit less dramatically, and grit her teeth against the blooming pain. _God_ , Eve was deliciously wicked.

Another.

Another.

Two more in a row and her hips were pressing back into the blows; seeking them instead of wanting to withdraw. Her ass was on fire worse than her chest had been the other night, and while it was a similar type of sensation, it was also very different. It was like a two-tiered type of fire, sharp at first and then dull when the impact suffused. She knew she was in trouble when she didn’t want Eve to stop. “Please,” she forced out past a scratchy throat, her fingers still digging relentlessly into the arm of the sofa.

Eve was transfixed by the stripes across Villanelle’s ass and empowered by the noises her girlfriend was making. And Villanelle was being so _good_. “Please what, baby?” she managed to say coherently. If Villanelle needed her to slow down, she would be careful. “Slow dow—”

“No,” Villanelle interjected, rolling her hips but not daring to lower them despite how badly she needed friction between her thighs. “Please more,” she said choppily, her accent more pronounced than she could ever remember hearing from herself. “Please, beat me until I can’t sit anywhere other than your lap…”

Eve’s blood drained down and she clenched her thighs, biting her lip to keep her overzealous reaction from Villanelle. She decided not to say anything, just refocused her attention to belting the hell out of her girl. She was actually glad Villanelle seemed to like it so much, because she hadn’t quite anticipated exactly how much she was going to like doing it… which was a lot. Like… an unhealthy amount probably.

Her arm drew back and she snapped it forward, lashing Villanelle across the underside of her cheeks, then again a little higher, again a little higher, and then she worked her way backward over the same path, internalizing Villanelle’s yells and groans. Even a few grunts when she hit a particularly sore spot that she’d already thrashed.

When it wouldn’t be safe to continue the spanking, she finally dropped the belt and knelt behind Villanelle on the sofa, pressing her hips flush against her girlfriend’s bruised ass.

Villanelle had started to cry, the tears a form of catharsis she had never previously understood. Her cheeks were wet, her nose was running and she sniffed until she had it under control, and when she felt Eve’s body pressing against her tender skin, she shuddered, fresh tears falling. And then Eve’s hand was wrapped around her throat.

“Beg.”

“Beg for more?” Villanelle gasped.

“No,” Eve growled softly. “Beg me to fuck you.”

Villanelle would swear to God she almost came even though she didn’t really think it was possible to come without direct stimulation – at least she had never been able to do it. “Please don’t tease me,” she said, her fingers aching from gripping the sofa so hard. She didn’t think she could take it if Eve was teasing.

Eve tightened her hand around Villanelle’s throat, fingertips pressing in tightly enough to leave marks for a few interminable seconds before she eased back off. “Beg me to fuck you,” she repeated.

Villanelle let out a sob and let herself believe that Eve was finally going to touch her; to claim her; to seal their connection irreversibly. “Please, Eve,” she begged, her voice full of bottlenecked emotion. “Please touch me… please put your fingers inside me, please, God Eve, please show me how much I am yours… I’m so wet for you… please, please fuck me…”

Eve thought that was pretty good begging, the most important thing to her being Villanelle’s sincerity, which she had no question of. “Good girl,” she crooned. “Spread your legs.”

Villanelle moved her knees apart before Eve was even finished telling her to do it. She cried harder when she felt a finger slipping along her wetness. Eve was actually doing it. Actually touching her. Feeling how affected she was. “Please,” she choked.

“You’re so fucking wet,” Eve groaned, slapping Villanelle once on the thigh and then returning her hand between her girlfriend’s legs, probing through the slick heat with two fingers and easily pushing them inside. Easy, but not gentle. She pushed in hard, making Villanelle lurch forward into the hand around her throat. She squeezed and jerked her girlfriend back against her, sending her fingers in further, drawing a strangled, needy sound from Villanelle’s lips.

“Fuck,” Villanelle chanted, her breathing under Eve’s control as well as her pleasure. She could not have either one if Eve chose to deny her. And Villanelle would let her. “Fuck… fuck… fuck…”

“Is this rough enough?” she purred, curling her fingers and dragging them along Villanelle’s inner walls on her way out, then thrusting back in and squeezing with her other hand.

“Yes,” Villanelle rasped, struggling for a breath, her vision swimming, cunt throbbing, the tide of pleasure starting to twist in her belly. “It’s perfect; you’re perfect, Eve,” she kept talking, her voice strained and thready.

Eve slacked her grip on Villanelle’s throat, not wanting her to actually pass out, and started a brutal rhythm between her girl’s legs, pushing in and out a few more times before carefully forcing a third finger in with the others, feeling Villanelle’s muscles stretch to accommodate her wishes. Villanelle was a writhing, sweaty mess and it was the most beautiful thing Eve had ever seen. “Do you want to come?” she asked, releasing Villanelle’s throat and raking nails down her back.

“If you let me,” Villanelle panted, pressing her forehead to the sofa’s arm again, her cunt burning slightly with the stretch. Most people only ever used two fingers, if she let them touch her at all. The fact that it was Eve stretching her like this just made it unbearably pleasurable.

Eve laughed, dropping a kiss between Villanelle’s shoulder blades. “Good answer, baby,” she whispered, snaking her left hand over a heaving flank, across a quivering belly and pressing her fingers in circles on Villanelle’s clit. “Come when you’re ready.”

And oh, Villanelle was more than ready. As soon as Eve gave permission she stopped holding back and let herself bear down on Eve’s fingers, thighs clenching. The touches to her clit were just the icing on the cake – she would have come even without them, Eve had her so fucking _wrecked_. She threw her head back, Eve’s name on her tongue as she crashed, the pleasure wringing her inside out.

Eve felt it just before it happened, and when Villanelle’s cunt clenched around her fingers, her girl’s body shaking and her name being sworn like a prayer, she pushed in harder and stayed there so Villanelle could ride it out.

Villanelle had never quite felt an orgasm so powerful before… the only time coming close was that night in Rome when she touched herself knowing Eve could hear her. As the last embers sparked and faded, she sank down to her stomach, which made her back arch a little uncomfortably with her head still on the arm of the sofa, but she didn’t care. She shuddered when Eve didn’t remove her fingers right away, and realized her thighs were clamped like a vise around Eve’s wrist. She used all the focus she could muster to pry her legs apart again, groaning when Eve’s fingers slid from between them.

“Turn over.”

She almost couldn’t make herself do it, but she forced heavy muscles into work, awkwardly turning onto her back, grateful at how much more comfortable it was than her previous position even if the couch fibers on her belted ass were… not. That was not comfortable. But _that_ kind of discomfort, she liked it.

Eve regarded her in silence for a moment – her flushed face, tendrils of hair sticking to her forehead and temples with sweat, glazed over eyes and a dreamy smile, one little dimple showing next to the corner of her mouth that was slightly quirked up. “Was it too gentle?” she asked knowingly, offering her fingers to her girlfriend to clean. "It was, wasn't it?"

Villanelle didn’t have the energy to laugh but a reflexive snort came out anyway and she took Eve’s fingers into her mouth, sucking lazily.

Eve took them out when they were clean and brushed a few sticky strands of hair out of Villanelle’s face. “I guess now you’re _really_ mine,” she said with a grin.

Villanelle could not think of anything wrong with that. She was quiet for a few minutes, just getting her bearings back, before she spoke quietly. “I taste _so_ good.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little sad while they attempt to navigate Villanelle's emotional minefield, but it's not exactly angsty, it's more just like FEEEEELS

Eve buried her face in Villanelle’s hair, snorting out a laugh. “Your modesty is such an inspiration.”

“Be nice to me Eve, my ass hurts,” Villanelle shushed her.

“Yeah, that’s gonna hurt for a while,” Eve let her know. “Sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.”

Villanelle grinned, and when she assessed the situation she realized she felt really happy. Not just because Eve had finally fucked her, although that was definitely a bonus, like a huuuuuuuge bonus, but mostly because it felt so good to be able to laugh and joke and eat and sleep and hug and kiss and _be with_ Eve all of the time now. “I’m glad you are not sorry. I really liked that spanking.”

“I really liked giving it to you,” Eve admitted, not being quite so guarded with her emotions anymore. Something felt like it had shifted. The other day with the chore chart, she thought it had started then, maybe, and now she just felt like admitting her feelings was less of a risk.

“Hey, how did you get that flogger thing the other day?”

Eve cackled gleefully. “Elena dropped it off.”

Villanelle’s eyes sprung wide. “You gave Elena my address?”

The gleeful cackle escalated to near hysteria at the fact that Villanelle was more concerned with Elena having her address than with Elena bringing Eve a flogger to beat her with. “ _That’s_ your objection?” she wheezed.

“Of course,” Villanelle frowned. “What if The Twelve interrogate her? It is not safe for her to have this information, Eve.”

Eve’s laughter slowly got under control and she wiped tears from her eyes, blinking to clear her vision. “It’s fine, baby. She’s protected.”

“Oh and suddenly you think MI6 are the greatest protectors in the world, hmm?” Villanelle pouted. “Do you remember a certain gentleman you used to call Frank?”

“That was _you_ , baby. You don’t work for them anymore.”

“What if they have someone else just as good?”

“Nobody is as good as you.”

Villanelle’s mouth opened, a prideful glint creeping into her eyes. “I like this. Say it again?”

Eve kissed her. “ _Nobody_ is as good as you.”

“I like the way you are thinking,” Villanelle purred. “You should always think this way, Eve. And you are right. Nobody is as good as me.”

“Then why did you say that?”

Villanelle scrunched up her nose in thought. “I’m not really sure.”

Eve laughed and then teased as if she were serious, “it’s so sweet of you to be concerned for Elena’s safety, baby.”

Villanelle took the bait, her nose scrunched up even further. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re not?”

“Of course not.” Her facial expression bordered on revulsion at the thought. “I am concerned for my safety and your safety. If The Twelve get to her she will squeal like a pig and then where will you be if I am not here to protect you?”

“Wow,” Eve said. “Woooooow.” She stared at Villanelle. Of course she knew that was the case but Villanelle always had fun at other people’s expense, so a little taste of her own medicine wouldn’t be unwarranted.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

The silence from Eve stretched on.

“Eve, why are you looking at me like that?!”

Eve slowly folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. “See if you can figure it out.”

“I do not like guessing games.” But when Eve refused to say anything else, Villanelle furrowed her brow in thought. She replayed the conversation in her head over and over, and on the fifth replay she stopped, looking at Eve with wide eyes. “Is it because I said I only care about myself and you, and I do not care if Elena is safe?”

Eve was actually proud she figured it out and she reached down to brush the back of her hand across Villanelle’s cheek. “Good girl.”

Villanelle shivered at _those words_ , but gave a pitiful whimper to the rest of it. “But I…” She had no idea what to say, for once in her life. She couldn’t force herself to care about Elena’s safety even if she tried, but Eve was unhappy about it. She felt something very unpleasant and unfamiliar starting to stir that she did not like at all. What was it? What was this feeling called? How could she make it go away?

When Villanelle looked utterly lost, Eve gave up the ruse and laughed. “I’m just fucking with you, baby. I don’t care how you feel about anyone besides me.” At Villanelle’s utter outrage her laughter only devolved into a witchy cackle that she couldn’t control.

Villanelle gave a deafening roar, sitting up and shoving Eve so hard that it knocked her off the sofa. She watched Eve sprawl on the floor and got to her feet, yanking up her pants and underwear, ignoring the almost unbearable pain in her ass at the rough treatment, and started to storm away only to find she couldn’t go anywhere. In a rage, she swirled around, barely registering Eve’s hand closed around her elbow as the reason she couldn’t escape, only knowing she would do whatever it took to get out of this room.

Eve ducked a punch, keeping hold of Villanelle’s arm, and in the next instant she had her girlfriend slammed up against the wall face first with an elbow pressed into the back of her neck as a safety measure, the main hold being on the arm she twisted behind Villanelle’s back and put her body weight into.

Villanelle was shocked into stillness, breathing heavy, a bright red void clouding the edges of her vision. She couldn’t even remember why she was so angry at the moment. She focused on her senses and when she could smell Eve behind her she started to relax. “Oh no,” she finally said when the fog lifted, going limp in Eve’s hold. “I’m so sorry. Eve, I’m so sorry. Please, I’m sorry. Don’t leave. Please don’t leave me.”

Eve’s heart broke a little and even though she was pretty fucking pissed off at having a swing taken at her, she understood that her teasing had unleashed something Villanelle wasn’t in complete control of. “I’m not leaving,” she promised quickly. “I’m angry, but I’m not leaving you.”

And Villanelle started to cry. “I don’t know what happened,” she confessed. “I never want to hurt you.”

“Sh,” Eve said. “Just a minute. If I let you go, can I trust you to go sit on the sofa?”

“Yes,” Villanelle nodded, her face already streaked with tears.

Eve slowly loosened the grip on her arm, and when Villanelle was still calm, she took a step back.

Villanelle went straight to the sofa, unable to even look at Eve, and sat with a wince.

Eve breathed in deeply, held it for a second, then exhaled through her nose before joining her girlfriend on the sofa. “Do you want to sit in my lap?”

“Yes,” Villanelle said instantly.

“Then come here,” Eve said, holding out her arms.

Villanelle carefully maneuvered into Eve’s lap. It still hurt, but somehow it was better. Better than the sofa; better than anywhere else at all.

Eve wrapped her girlfriend in her arms. “Good?"

“Yes,” Villanelle sniffled.

“Regardless of anything else… if you ever take a swing at me again, it will not be pretty, do you understand?”

“I’m sorr—”

“Do you understand?” Eve repeated.

“Yes,” Villanelle said miserably.

“Now, with that out of the way, we are going to find a way to help you navigate your emotions.”

Villanelle had no idea how to be successful at that. She just stayed quiet, leaning her head on Eve’s shoulder.

“Were you teased or bullied when you were young?” Eve asked, hoping to pinpoint some kind of trigger.

Villanelle gave a wistful sort of snort at the idea of that. “No,” she answered. “The other children were afraid of me.”

Not surprising, Eve had to admit, if a little sad. “Can you think of a reason that me teasing you would cause such a volatile reaction?”

“What?”

 _Right_ , Eve reminded herself. _Uncharted territory_. “There’s a thing called a trigger,” she started to explain. “When someone has a really negative experience in their life, something that happens later on can remind them of it and trigger an extreme response.”

Villanelle tried to follow. “For example?”

“For example, soldiers who’ve been to war and had to dodge bullets and hide in trenches and who have had friends killed by bombs, when they come home and hear fireworks or a car backfiring, their mind returns them to the war and they might hide in a bunker or board up all their windows and sit with their back to the wall holding a shotgun.”

“Just because they hear fireworks?” Villanelle asked with another sniffle. “And it sounds little like a bomb?”

Eve squeezed her close, trying not to smile at the way Villanelle sometimes left out a definite article or two when she was distressed. “Did me teasing you remind you of anything from your past?”

“I don’t—I don’t know,” Villanelle replied, scanning through memories. “Maybe… maybe something from prison in Russia? I don’t know.”

“It’s okay,” Eve assured her. “If you can’t think of anything, it’s okay. It’s good for you to just be aware of the concept. Now, there is something I have to point out to you. You realize that you tease people all the time?”

Villanelle gasped, hiding her face, pretending she needed further information because being called out on her own bullshit was not generally an easy pill for her to swallow. “For example?” she croaked.

Eve bit her lip to keep in a chuckle. “For example, when you made me think I’d just swallowed arsenic and then laughed hysterically at my reaction.”

“Oh God,” Villanelle groaned, offering nothing further, for the first time seeing her behavior through someone else’s eyes.

“Don’t misunderstand me,” Eve felt it important to add. “I love that about you. I wouldn’t change a hair on your mischievous head. The only reason I’m mentioning it is so that maybe the next time I tease you, you won’t completely explode.”

Villanelle actually sighed with relief. “You love me just the way I am?” she asked hopefully, her mischievousness sparking back to life a little.

Eve took a steadying breath and craned her neck to be able to look down at her girlfriend. “I do love you, Villanelle,” she finally, _finally_ admitted out loud.

Villanelle’s first instinct was to get up and start screaming, but she unleashed a stampede to stomp it down so she could give an actual response. “I love you too, Eve. I always have.”


	13. Chapter 13

They both napped for an hour or so on the sofa, tangled in each other’s arms, and Eve smiled when she woke up to Villanelle’s intent gaze. “So… we have the rest of the day to ourselves. Let’s go do something normal.”

“Normal is boring, Eve,” Villanelle scoffed, rolling her eyes, but then she grinned, dimples and all. “I’d love to.”

They decided on miniature golf so Villanelle wouldn’t have to sit, and now they were getting ready. “You might want to think about going without panties and wearing a soft dress,” Eve suggested.

“Commando? Eve, you _nymphomaniac_ ,” Villanelle said with feigned scandal. “You are not going to fuck me on a miniature golf course in front of children.”

Eve howled with laughter and yanked Villanelle close, kissing her. “Shut up.”

Villanelle hummed her approval of the reaction and when Eve released her she grabbed a light, flowy but extremely fancy purple chiffon dress with gems lining the halter neckline. “Yes?” She held it in front of herself, swishing her hips.

Eve stared at her. “Seriously?”

Villanelle made a face. “You are never satisfied, Eve. You tell me to wear a dress and then you react like this,” she teased. “Of course I am serious. This is what I am wearing.”

“Are those emeralds?” Eve asked. “Please tell me they aren’t real.”

“These are not emeralds, Eve!” Villanelle nearly shrieked. “These are diamonds.”

“They’re green.”

“They are green diamonds from Guyana. I liberated them from Buckingham Palace and had my dressmaker make me a dress with them.”

Eve still stared at her. “And you want to wear this million-dollar garment to go miniature golfing?”

Villanelle choked the dress in one hand and held it out to Eve. “Feel this dress, Eve. It is very soft. And you spanked me _really_ hard, remember? I cannot help if my softest dress is this one.”

“Am I losing my mind?” Eve asked through clenched teeth and a plastered smile.

“Probably,” Villanelle shrugged, tossing the dress onto the bed and starting to take off her pants. “Ow… ow… _ow_ ,” she complained. “ _Eve_ , why did you spank me so hard?”

Eve lost the battle with composure and threw herself face down on the bed, screaming into a pillow. She was laughing again by the time she rolled over, and she folded her hands beneath her head, watching Villanelle get dressed. When she caught a glimpse of Villanelle’s ass, though, she shot upright. “Baby,” she almost whined, looking at her handiwork. “Come here.”

Villanelle was just about to slip the dress on when Eve sat up and called her over. She dropped the garment and walked around the bed, stopping in front of her girlfriend. “Yes, Eve?”

“Turn around,” Eve said, and when Villanelle complied, her heart lurched in her chest. “Villanelle,” she breathed. “This was too much.”

Villanelle turned to look over her shoulder, following Eve’s gaze, and shook her head. “No,” she said simply.

“No?” Eve asked, guilt trying to crush her.

“No,” Villanelle repeated. “It was the perfect amount. I am only teasing when I complain about it. I like it. I like the way it feels.”

“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

“Eve. When have I ever lied?”

Eve made a sound resembling something between a screech owl and a dying crane. “Oh my _God_.”

Villanelle gave her a disgusted sneer. “You act like I am lying always. You are being very dramatic. If you want proof how much I like it, just feel how I am still wet.” She turned around to offer herself.

Eve swiped a finger between her legs, calling her bluff, but they were both surprised for different reasons—Villanelle because Eve had actually done it and Eve because Villanelle was actually wet. “Well… okay then. I guess I can stop questioning myself.” She absently sucked her finger clean, oblivious to the look on Villanelle’s face.

Villanelle just stared for a minute, unable to move, until Eve got up from the bed and the moment was broken. She shook her head, a sly smile creeping over her lips, and put on her dress.

***

“Have you ever played mini golf before?” Eve asked, and for such a simple question that should have had a simple answer, Villanelle just stood there blushing, biting her cheek as she deliberately roamed her eyes everywhere but at Eve. “What is that?” Eve asked, gesturing at her body language.

“Okay so the orphanage took us once but I was masturbating with the golf club so they made me wait in the car.”

Eve choked. She sucked air down the wrong pipe and erupted in an actual choking fit, struggling to breathe at the same time as not being able to stop hysterically laughing. It was a grisly combination and a grisly sight to behold.

Villanelle stood gaping at her, not lifting a finger to help since Eve was laughing at her horrible story. “Eve!” she shouted.

Eve spluttered and wheezed, tears streaming down her face for several minutes until she managed to get ahold of herself and buy a bottle of water from the snack bar. She drank half of it without stopping, then wiped her eyes again and made her way back over to Villanelle. “Oh, God. I’m sorry,” she said, a few chuckles lingering.

“You are the _worst_ ,” Villanelle sneered, but she didn’t really mean it. “It was a confusing time, okay? The golf club was a sympathetic ear.”

That sent Eve into another round of laughter, but thankfully no more choking. “Villanelle!” she complained.

Villanelle snickered and dropped her purple golf ball onto the start of the first hole.

“Did you choose your ball to match your dress?” Eve asked when she noticed the color.

“I did, thank you for noticing, Eve,” Villanelle curtseyed. “They did not have this particular shade of green,” she added, trailing a finger along the diamonds at her neckline.

“I can’t believe you’re wearing million-dollar diamonds you stole from the Queen,” Eve whispered, shaking her head. “To an arcade.”

“ _Liberated_ ,” Villanelle insisted, pouting at her. “Where else should I wear it? You haven’t taken me out to a fancy dinner or dancing…”

“Oh, you’re going to blame me,” Eve said, pointing at herself with a snort. “You could take me out too, you know.”

“But you are the boss, Eve,” Villanelle said, her voice low and playful with a hint of suggestion.

“Then you could ask me to take you out.” If Villanelle expected her to go googly eyed and melt in the middle of a children’s entertainment venue, she was sadly mistaken.

“Fine,” Villanelle snapped, rolling her eyes. “I’m going first.”

Eve was about to not care one way or the other but she changed her mind. “No,” she said, stepping forward and dropping the head of her golf club to block Villanelle’s shot. “You ask me if you can go first.”

Villanelle actually squealed, staring at her with more petulance than she’d ever seen directed her way.

“ _What_?!”

“You heard me. You don’t get to just throw your ball down and declare you’re going first.” She stared her lover down. “Ask.”

Villanelle’s heart thudded rapidly against her rib cage for a few measured seconds as she decided what to do, finally drawing out her Game Show Announcer voice. “O-KAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAY!”

Eve put a hand to the bridge of her nose. This was going to be a long outing.

“Shut the fuck up, yo,” some punk teenage boy called as he walked past them.

Eve sprang into action, grabbing Villanelle’s arm as she lunged for the kid, her other hand grabbing the middle of her lover’s ascending golf club to keep her from whacking him with it. “Oksana!” she hissed.

Villanelle dropped the golf club, the boy forgotten as Eve called her Oksana, and she was instantly pliant, letting Eve pull her back. She turned her head to look at her disciplinarian, her _protector_ , breathing suddenly labored, blinking wide eyes. “I’m s—I’m sorry, Mommy,” she whispered, feeling about ten years old under that intense gaze and with the scolding grip on her arm.

Eve moved into Mommy mode seamlessly, keeping Villanelle close and speaking quietly to her. “Young lady, just because someone says something rude does not mean we can physically assault them. If I hadn’t already spanked you, you’d be over my lap right now.”

Villanelle whined softly, hiding her face in Eve’s neck. “Please don’t be mad at me, please,” she murmured against warm, comforting skin. “I won’t argue if you don’t let me play.”

Whenever Villanelle got like this, no matter which of them initiated it or for what reason, a protective force more powerful than she had ever felt in her life always came over Eve. Vulnerability was not easy for Villanelle, but this dynamic helped her let out a little bit of that side of herself. “I’m not mad, Oksana,” she said gently. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you. You’re not invincible if you beat someone up at the mall, understand?”

Villanelle shrank a little more at the words, sinking further into Eve. “Yes, Mommy. Are we going home?”

“No,” Eve decided. “I think you can behave yourself long enough to play some golf, can’t you?”

Villanelle gasped and picked her head up, shocked that she wasn’t going to be punished like the last time she’d tried to play this game. “Yes,” she said quickly, excitement building in her chest.

“But my little girl would never leave the house dressed like that, so we’re going across the way to get you something else to wear first.”

***

Fifteen minutes later they were back at the starting hole, Villanelle dressed in a long-sleeved Batgirl shirt and Minion pajama pants that looked ridiculous together but so, so cute. The dress was carefully folded and stored in Eve’s purse since leaving something that expensive in the car was not something Eve would even consider.

She threw Villanelle’s hair up into a quick, somewhat messy ponytail and kissed the top of her head.

“You go first, Mommy,” Villanelle whispered sheepishly.

“No no, baby, you can go first,” Eve allowed her. “But thank you for being so thoughtful.”

Villanelle dropped her ball again and picked up her club, swinging way too hard and sending the ball flying across the room into the opposite wall. Alarmed, she spun to face Eve.

“Not quite so hard,” Eve told her. “I’ll help you. Go get your ball.” Luckily it hadn’t hit anyone and only a few people even noticed the purple projectile.

Villanelle retrieved the ball and put it back on the starting spot, then waited for Eve to help her.

Eve moved forward and fixed Villanelle’s grip first of all. “Okay, you bring the club back just a little bit and swing forward a little bit. It’s not like baseball; you don’t want to crack it out of the park. Just firmly tap it.” She helped Villanelle swing the club with appropriate force and the ball rolled down the felt, coming to a stop about a foot from the hole.

“Was that good?”

“That was great!”

Villanelle grinned proudly and started running down the concrete that flanked the felt.

“Oksana,” Eve called her back, and when Villanelle returned to her with an expectant look, she smiled. “Stay close to me, okay?”

Villanelle chewed on her bottom lip. “Okay.”

“What in the fuck is the deal with you two?”

Eve spun around to see the same asshole kid staring at them, a few feet away. “All right now, I’ve had enough,” she said, her voice gaining an edge as she took a step toward him. “If you don’t get your scrawny ass away from us and keep your uneducated mouth shut, I can promise you that I will let her swing that golf club into the back of your skull like she was originally going to. _Capisce_?”

His smirk faltered and he glanced behind her at Villanelle. Whatever he saw on Villanelle’s face must have driven home the message because he just swallowed and nodded mutely, shoving his hands into the pockets of far too baggy jeans and slinking away.

Eve turned back to find a murderous expression haunting her lover’s face. “Oksana,” she said gently, not wanting this outing to be ruined for her little girl, but not sure Villanelle could slip back into that headspace.

Villanelle’s jaw hurt from clenching it so tightly, but when Eve spoke to her, everything else faded away and she wrapped herself in the older woman’s embrace. “Mommy, were you really going to let me—”

“No.”

Villanelle grumped.

“Good girls do not hit people with golf clubs,” Eve pointed out. “And you are a good girl.”

“I am not a good girl,” Villanelle said, blushing.

“Good girls also get ice cream after they play golf,” Eve said, raising an eyebrow.

Villanelle perked up. “I am _so_ good.”

Eve laughed and ruffled her ponytail. “That’s what I thought.”

***

Eve purposely let Villanelle win, and when she informed Villanelle that she’d won, several moments of screaming chaos ensued. And maybe most people would have been embarrassed if they were in her position, but Eve just grinned like an asshole, enjoying the carefree and excited side of her lover.

Once Villanelle stopped screaming that she’d won, Eve reached for her hand and led her out of the arcade, still grinning like an asshole as Villanelle squeezed her hand and skipped alongside her.

“I won,” Villanelle whispered into her ear while taking a quick break from skipping, then resumed the childish gait.

“You know there’s this thing called a gracious winner?” Eve teased.

Villanelle made a lizard face and started running toward the food court, dragging Eve with her.

***

Two ice cream cones later (because maybe she was a bit of a pushover but in her defense SHE DID NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH KIDS) they were on their way home. When she pulled into their parking space and shut off the car, she looked at Villanelle out of the corner of her eye, loving the glow on her girlfriend’s cheeks.

Villanelle felt Eve’s eyes on her and turned. “Thank you for today, Eve,” she purred. “It was amazing. Except for when you wouldn’t let me maim that asshole. I could have done without that part.” But the glint in her eyes made it clear she was teasing.

Eve leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, then her jaw, then her mouth. “It was amazing for me too,” she said, resting their foreheads together.

“I can’t believe you let me get two ice cream cones,” Villanelle said with a satisfied smirk a few seconds later.

“Wipe that look off your face,” Eve laughed. “And you’d better still eat your dinner.”


	14. Chapter 14

The next day was a Thursday. They had only had Wednesday to themselves because Eve had told Carolyn she refused to work after driving to the airport and back. So the alarm on the nightstand going off did not make Eve happy. The sight of an adorably sleeping Villanelle did, though, and her mind drifted back to the hurried way her lover had made sure she did something nice for someone on the way to the car after mini golf and then read a chapter of the handbook without complaining. She had already told Eve something about herself that Eve didn’t know, so she got to fill out her chart after finishing her reading.

Eve was a sucker and slept in the bed.

“Wake up, baby,” she said, shaking Villanelle gently.

Villanelle was not a morning person.

“Come on, we have a briefing this morning,” Eve pressed. When Villanelle grumbled but refused to get up, Eve snickered. “Okay,” she said loudly. “I’ll see you after work, then.”

Villanelle shot upright, a glare darkening her features, a furrow in her brow. “That is so mean, Eve. You would never leave me behind.”

“I would if you didn’t get your ass up,” Eve said brightly.

“Rude,” Villanelle mumbled sleepily, but she did get up.

***  
Villanelle was getting a donut and wandered in a few minutes after everyone else had already taken their seats. She was squeezing the stress ball Eve had given her in the hopes of maintaining self-control in a situation where someone else was in charge and there were a handful of people in one small room. She leaned casually against the wall and waited for Carolyn to begin.

“Villanelle, so glad you could join us,” Carolyn said, and to those who didn’t know her well it would have seemed genuine. Villanelle knew it was a jab for being later than everyone else, even though the briefing did not technically start for a minute and a half. “Please, have a seat.”

“I’m good,” Villanelle said with a forced smile, taking a bite of her donut.

“Sit down, Villanelle,” Carolyn said, patience already thin.

“It’s fine if she—” Eve started to stand up for her lover when she saw the snarl and knew something not good was coming… and sure enough, the stress ball flew past Carolyn’s head and cracked a window. “You know what?” she changed her mind, giving Villanelle an entirely disapproving look. “Now you _can_ sit.” She turned to whoever was sitting next to her and said simply, “move.”

The guy blinked a couple times and then upon realizing she was serious, he shifted to another open chair.

Eve looked at Villanelle, then at the chair next to herself. “Sit down.” She was oblivious to the collective audience holding its breath, and when Villanelle got close enough she snatched the donut out of her hand. “You can have this back after the briefing.”

“My donut!” Villanelle protested, reaching after it futilely and making a grotesque face when Eve moved it out of reach. “Oh my Goddddddddd, Eve.”

“Sit down,” Eve said again, no nonsense.

Villanelle carefully lowered herself to sit in the chair, a whimper escaping as the motion put pressure on the bruises littering her backside.

“What’s wrong?” Audrey asked, ever the gentlest person in any given room.

“May we proceed?” Carolyn barked with not a small amount of incredulity.

“Eve _spanked_ me,” Villanelle said loudly and dramatically, her lower lip sliding out just the tiniest bit to form the tiniest pout. “Really, _really_ hard.”

Nearly everyone in the room gasped, choked, or dropped something. Not Konstantin, however, who laughed like a baritone hyena, nor Carolyn, who did nothing at all.

“Oh my God,” Eve said, throwing her pen down and giving Villanelle a _look_. “Can you please not make this all about you?”

“This _is_ all about me,” Villanelle said, unimpressed. “Did you forget that I am the reason you are all here?”

“One more word and you’re out of this briefing,” Eve said, staring her down, her resolve unflinching.

Villanelle opened her mouth but at the look on Eve’s face she shut it. A little shiver ran down her spine, she couldn’t deny it. She loved when Eve was so bossy. A small part of her wanted to say something just so Eve would haul her out of her chair and drag her out of the meeting room, but she got the sense that Eve would actually be pretty mad with her if she did that, so she stayed quiet.

“Right,” Carolyn said, turning on the projector. “This is what we know.”

***

Basically it was just to catch everyone else up; the people who didn’t work directly with Eve and the gang at the Bitter Pill. So Eve and Villanelle didn’t get any new information, but Eve shared plenty of what she had with the group.

When everyone else had left the room, Eve pinned Villanelle with a displeased stare. “You need to be professional when we’re in this environment,” she said.

Villanelle’s smirk made her dimples pronounced. “Yes Ma’am.”

Eve slammed her hand down on the table in frustration. “I’m serious, Villanelle. That was ridiculous and a waste of everyone’s valuable time. They’re not interested in what goes on between us in private. It’s different over at the Bitter Pill but this is MI6 Headquarters so keep it in your fucking pants.”

She wasn’t yelling, but Villanelle could feel the disapproval in her tone, not to mention the actual words she spoke. Suddenly it wasn’t so funny and the smirk fled her features. “Eve, I’m sorry,” she said, her voice void of humor, which she had replaced with quiet sincerity.

The look on Villanelle’s face told Eve even more than what she said, and Eve sighed. Maybe she shouldn’t have been quite so harsh. Interpersonal stuff was new to Villanelle, after all. “It’s—” She stopped and sighed again, her face losing its hardened edges. “It’s okay,” she said soothingly.

Villanelle felt the sting of unshed tears as she looked up at Eve. “I will not do it again,” she whispered.

“I overreacted,” Eve admitted, stepping forward and pulling Villanelle’s head against her stomach. “Not by much, mind you, but a little.”

“I never want to upset you,” Villanelle breathed, hands coming up to grip the sides of Eve’s waistband. “Ever.”

“I know, baby,” Eve crooned at her, petting her hair.

Outside the meeting room, Konstantin elbowed Carolyn in the ribs. “Would you look at that?”

“No,” Carolyn said flatly. “I have no interest.”

“Come onnnnn,” Konstantin needled her with a shit-eating grin. “Just take a peek.” 

“No.”

“Bo-ring,” Konstantin said, shaking his head.

“I’m still not going to look.”

Konstantin laughed, one of his quieter ones, and wondered just how far Eve’s control over Villanelle went.

“Are you still mad?” Villanelle asked after a few minutes.

“How could I be?” Eve asked.

“Because I embarrassed you in front of your colleagues,” Villanelle said uncertainly.

“You didn’t embarrass me,” Eve corrected her. “You were just inefficient.”

“So… you are not upset that your colleagues know we are together?”

“Uh, _no_ ,” Eve said with a snort. “I like it. But not during a briefing.”

“I love you,” Villanelle said, her face pressed into Eve’s sweater.

Eve got a mental image of the Wicked Witch melting and tried not to follow suit. “I love you too, baby.”

Villanelle was content to stay like that for as long as Eve would let her.

“You’ll have to pay for a new window, you realize that right?”

Villanelle didn’t want to push her luck. “Okay.”

“Mmm, good girl,” Eve praised her, not surprised when she felt the grip on her pants tighten and a shiver run through her lover. “Let’s get out of here. I’d much rather be anywhere else.”

“Are we going to your office?”

Eve finally gave her back her donut. “Yeah. We need to figure out where Dasha is or where she’s going to be and stop her before she hurts you.”

“She would never get within a hundred metres of me,” Villanelle snorted, taking a huge bite of donut and continuing with her mouth full, “I am too good.”

“And I am not willing to take that chance.”

Villanelle looked up at her with a cheeky grin. “Because you loooooooove me?”

“Yes. Because I loooooooove you. Go grab your stress ball.”

“It did not work.”

“You tried it for thirty seconds.”

“And then threw it and cracked a window,” Villanelle reminded her.

“Well you’re not leaving it on the floor, go pick it up,” Eve said as if that should have been obvious. “Give it to Bear or something if you don’t want it.”

“No, it’s mine.”

Eve leaned down and pressed her forehead to the table, sucking in a deep breath through her nose, but lost her composure anyway and stood there bent over, shaking with laughter.

***

Eve was paying her no attention, too wrapped up in _Dasha this, Dasha that_ , and Villanelle was – predictably – bored. She put her hands in her pockets and wandered slowly over to Audrey, something on her mind. “Why did you ask me what was wrong?”

Audrey’s head snapped up to look at her. “You whimpered when you sat down,” she said quietly.

“No I mean I know _why_ you asked, but why did you _ask_?”

“I don’t think I understand your question…”

Villanelle scoffed, throwing her hands up in frustration. She was so bad at this. “I mean…” LIGHT-BUUUUULB! “I mean why did you care?”

Audrey looked entirely uncomfortable at that and regarded her for several moments before finally offering a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know. It’s just what’s done when someone seems distressed.”

Villanelle stared at her blankly. “I do not ask that question to anyone.” _Except maybe Eve_.

“Right,” Audrey said carefully. “I suppose you’re… different.”

For some reason that answer bothered Villanelle. Not in an angry way but in a deep down, disappointing, you’ll-never-be-good-enough way. “Right,” she echoed, her voice flat, her gaze once again blank. “I suppose I am.”

Audrey actually felt bad and wanted to do something to fix it. “Hey… have you ever heard the phrase ‘fake it til’ you make it’?”

“Like an orgasm?” Her interest was piqued.

“Well, no,” Audrey said awkwardly, but continued anyway. “Ask a distressed person what’s wrong, even if you don’t care, and maybe someday you’ll start to.”

Villanelle stared at her, head tilted. What a foreign concept… such a strange suggestion that she actually felt compelled to try it. “Hm.”

“And don’t give up if it doesn’t happen right away,” Audrey added. “It’ll most likely take time, if it happens.”

Villanelle gave a thoughtful nod, an almost genuine grin, and walked back over to Eve’s desk. “I just had a _very_ interesting conversation,” she said, trying to entice Eve away from her computer.

“Which you can tell me about at lunch,” Eve said without looking.

Villanelle groaned, commanding everyone else’s attention, but Eve didn’t take the bait.

“Do your reading,” she said simply, eyes still glued to her computer screen. “Your handbook’s in my bag.”

All Villanelle took from that was permission to go through Eve’s bag. She dragged it to her side of the desk and started taking things out one by one, lining them up and inspecting them. “Why don’t you wear this lipstick, Eve?” she asked, plucking it from the line of items and opening it. She rolled it up and put some on, smacking her lips. “I think this color would be stunning on you.” Receiving no response, she moved on. “Pen, paper, tissues, boring,” she said, tossing those unremarkable items back into the bag. “Hmm. Deodorant. Do you carry this around just so you can always smell good for me, Eve?” She popped open the deodorant and slid it under her shirt, applying some to both sides before capping it and putting it away. Still no reaction from Eve and she scowled. Eve’s job was the _worst_.

Audrey watched discreetly, smiling to herself at how badly Villanelle wanted Eve’s attention and how good Eve was at denying her that. Their dynamic was truly fascinating, once you stopped being terrified enough to start analyzing it.

“Ooh, hairbrush,” Villanelle continued her violation of Eve’s privacy, picking the object up. “Your hair _is_ a little bit messy.” When she tried to get at Eve’s hair with the brush, her hand was forcefully smacked away.

“Hey. Hey!” Eve complained, fending off the attempt to brush her hair. She finally turned to Villanelle, holding up a finger and thumb separated by barely a wisp of air. “I am this close… _this close_ … to finding a daycare facility for you while I work,” she snapped.

Villanelle stared at her with a Billie-type expression. “What did you say to me, Eve?”

“You heard me,” Eve said, refusing to back down. “You don’t let me work. You can’t be here if you don’t let me work. I can’t get through ten minutes without you demanding my attention, and I am trying to catch an assassin that has you in her crosshairs. This is important to me. I can’t have you behaving like a toddler while I’m trying to work.”

Villanelle squeezed the hairbrush so hard that her hand started to throb. She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth, teeth clenched. She made herself breathe before speaking. “I will get out of your _hair_ , then,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. She dropped the brush and was out the door before Eve could even get up from her chair.

“Shit.” Eve chased after her, but by the time she got out of the building, Villanelle was nowhere to be found.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for violence

Villanelle didn’t know where she was going, just that she had to get away. Away from Eve, away from Audrey, away from _people_.

She had been walking for about two hours and was just starting to feel normal again, considering finally answering one of Eve’s two billion text messages, when she heard a familiar voice that she had never expected to hear again.

“Villanelle?”

Villanelle stopped short and blinked. “Moustache?” What in the fuck? What was he even doing back in London?

“Well, I suppose you’ve always called me that even though my name is Niko,” he said with a laugh.

Villanelle was about to say that he would always be called moustache when everything went black.

***

“Should I text her again?”

All three of them answered at the same time. “No.”

“I’m calling Konstantin.” She scrolled through her contacts until she found him and pressed the call button.

“Hello, Eve.”

“Villanelle’s been gone for two hours.”

“Fine, thank you, and yourself?” Konstantin asked.

“Konstantin!”

“Did you have a fight?”

“Not exactly. I think I hurt her feelings.”

“Did she hit you?”

“No!”

“Yell?”

“No.”

“She’ll be back in a day or two, probably.”

“A day or two? Are you fucking kidding me?” Eve shrieked.

“You hurt her feelings, what more do you expect? She takes a while to calm down for these things. She is not used to having someone capable of hurting her feelings. Dooon’t text her a million times, just give her some space.”

“I already texted her a million times.”

“Don’t text her a million more.”

“But what if she thinks I don’t care, then?”

“She won’t.”

“But what if she does?”

“You don’t want my advice, why did you call me?” he chuckled.

“I don’t know,” Eve sulked. “I guess I was hoping you would have a magical answer or you’d know where she was.”

“I don’t know where she is, and if I did I would not tell you. You can’t go after her if she walks away, that would be dangerous even for you. You have to wait until she comes to you.”

“Okay. Thanks,” Eve said dejectedly and hung up the phone.

***

Villanelle’s eyes fluttered as she regained consciousness but she kept them shut, trying to figure out her situation before she let on that she was awake. Apparently that wasn’t going to happen.

“Vakey vakeyyyy…”

 _Oh, wonderful_. It was Dasha. She opened her eyes and lunged in the direction of Dasha’s voice, but she was restrained, the rattle of chains reaching her ears and the bite of cold metal tugging on her bones. “Where is moustache?” she asked, almost in a panic. If something happened to that dick because of her, Eve would be so upset.

“Hello.” Niko stepped through the door into her line of sight and waved with a smile.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she roared, jerking on her shackles. “She pitchforked you in the NECCCCCKKKKKK!”

“I apologized,” Dasha said, smug. “And havink common adversary is very bondink experience.

“You are boning moustache?” Villanelle started to laugh. “You have both sunk so low.”

“No,” Dasha snapped, the smug look gone. “Bondink, not bonink. Ve are vorkink tokezer, zat is all.”

“Sure,” Villanelle said with an overexaggerated wink.

She guessed that was not the thing to say because Dasha struck her in the mouth. Well, that hurt. But she wasn’t going to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing they’d hurt her. She snorted and spit blood on the ground, wagging her eyebrows at Dasha. “Is that all you’ve got, old woman?”

“Start ze recordink,” Dasha said to Niko.

“Niko,” Villanelle said pleadingly, wondering if she could manipulate him into switching sides. “Are you really going to let her torture me? Eve will be so upset with you.”

Niko chuckled softly and shook his head. “I don’t want Eve back, Villanelle.”

“Thank God,” Villanelle rolled her eyes. “At least we agree on something.”

***

Villanelle didn’t show up the next day, or the next, and Eve was going out of her mind. She couldn’t work, couldn’t sleep, could barely eat or breathe. On the third day she called Konstantin again. “Something’s wrong,” she said, pacing Villanelle’s apartment. “She hasn’t texted or called, she hasn’t even come by to get clothes. Everything is exactly how it was. She hasn’t been here.”

“She is upset. She probably bought new clothes.”

“I ran her credit cards. Nothing’s been used.”

Konstantin frowned. “Hm.” A second later he asked, “did you run your credit cards? You know how she helps herself to other people’s things.”

“I’ll try it, but none of mine are missing.”

“You think Dasha found her,” Konstantin finally said.

Eve thought she was going to be sick. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.” Her phone buzzed. “Hang on, I’m getting a text.” She prayed it was Villanelle, pulling the phone from her ear and navigating to the message, her blood running cold when she saw that it was a video… the opening frame showing Villanelle chained to a wall, bruised and bloody, her clothes in tatters hanging off of her everywhere. “Get to the Bitter Pill!” she screamed at Konstantin, then grabbed her keys and ran out the door in her pajamas, driving like an asshole to get to her office.

***

“Trace this text message!” she shouted as she ran through the doors, throwing her phone at Bear and starting to pace again.

Bear plugged the phone in to his laptop and pursed his lips, shaking his head. “Untraceable line, I’m sorry,” he said, unplugging it and handing it back.

“No!” Eve yelled, sitting forcefully in her chair and opening the message again. She didn’t want to watch the video, but she had to.

“ _I’m not going to tell you anything_ ,” Villanelle said, her speech slow and unsteady, but Eve could hear the resolve in her voice.

She watched Dasha hit her lover repeatedly over drying blood and bruises and a murderous rage began to bloom in her chest, her face wet with tears.

“ _You might want to hit a little harder if you are trying to impress moustache_ ,” Villanelle was saying, which grabbed Eve’s attention. Who? It couldn’t be—there was no way, right? “ _Are you going to be married? Be the new Mrs. Polastri_?”

"Jesus Christ! Bear! Trace Niko’s phone! He’s not a criminal mastermind, maybe he—” She stopped talking and gave Bear her ex-husband’s phone number just as Konstantin rushed in the doors.

“What is going on?” he asked, and Eve looked over to see Carolyn swoosh through the doors after him.

“Dasha and Niko have her, I got a video,” Eve explained, her eyes back on Bear expectantly.

“Moustache?” Konstantin asked, looking like he’d just bitten into a lemon.

“Got it!” Bear announced, jumping out of his chair. “They’re in a warehouse a few blocks from here.” He punched the address into Eve’s phone for her and brought it up in the GPS.

“I’m going in first,” Eve told Carolyn. “Get SWAT for backup, but no lights, no sirens. No visibility. And I hope you know I’m not taking Dasha alive.”

Carolyn chose not to acknowledge the last part. “SWAT. No lights. No sirens. No visibility.”

Eve breathed a sigh of relief, rushed over to the break area for a butcher knife, and then she was flying out the doors.

***

It was a one-story building with a basement. Bear had sent the building plans to her cell and she surveyed them briefly. They would be in the basement, obviously, not risking any passersby or random warehouse workers interrupting.

Clutching the knife in one hand and bolt cutters in the other, she looked around for cameras. There was one at a bodega across the street and down a few dozen metres but none at the warehouse. At least not on the exterior.

The door wasn’t chained so she abandoned the bolt cutters and slipped inside, looking around again for cameras. Thank God there were none. That was probably one of the reasons Dasha had chosen this building. Or had Niko chosen it? How complicit was he in this? She never would have thought him capable of subterfuge and violence. But then again, people change.

When she got near the stairwell she could hear faint voices. Good. That meant they were still occupied and not expecting her. She took her shoes off and started down the stairs in her socks, careful not to make a sound. It was dark, but not so dark she couldn’t see. Dim, maybe, was a better description.

She reached the landing halfway down and crouched in case they could see the stairwell from where they were. She crept slowly down the last section of stairs, ears attuned to the environment, the voices becoming less faint.

“Vhat does MI6 know about me?”

There was a moment of silence and then, “go fuck yourself.”

Eve smiled despite the situation. That was her girl, through and through.

The smile vanished when she heard another blow land and Villanelle’s answering grunt.

“You look a little pale,” she heard Niko’s mocking voice, revulsion twisting in her stomach. But it was good, because now she knew where everyone was.

She was silent on approach, and just as Dasha was about to hit Villanelle again, she sprang. The edge of the knife sank into the supple flesh of Dasha’s throat and she jerked her arm sideways, dragging the blade across. No room for error. Nice and clean; one solid pass through.

Before Niko could get to her, if he decided to try his luck at a physical altercation, Eve was already on her radio. “Come in and get Niko. Dasha’s down.”

Niko was shocked, staring at the dead body at his feet, seemingly not inclined to try his luck after all, instead heading for the stairs.

Eve let him go; she didn’t give a shit. She searched Dasha’s pockets for the key to Villanelle’s shackles and rushed to her lover’s side.

The whole thing happened in about thirty seconds and as soon as Villanelle registered Eve in front of her, she buckled.

Eve got the shackles off and Villanelle collapsed into her arms.

Villanelle had not shed a single tear the entire time, but when Eve’s arms went around her, she broke into sobs. The physical pain she could deal with; write off; ignore, but the emotional anguish of being chained up and separated from Eve was intolerable. Her chest heaved, sounds coming out of her that she would never have believed possible before this moment. She had never cried like this. “I didn’t tell her anything,” she sobbed.

“Oh God. Shh, baby, no, I wouldn’t even give a fuck if you spilled every secret in the universe. All I care about is you. I’m so sorry, baby, God, I’m so sorry…”

Villanelle stopped trying to talk and just cried, slumped against Eve, taking in her lover’s comforting warmth and the protective way Eve was holding her.

The paramedics came in a few minutes later with a gurney for Villanelle. “Okay baby, the paramedics are here,” Eve said softly, stroking her lover’s hair. “They’ve got a gurney for you.”

“No,” Villanelle cried, refusing to move from the cocoon of safety she was enveloped in. She had thought Dasha was going to kill her and she would never see Eve again, and the last things they had said to each other were not very nice, and—

“Please, baby? I’ll be right with you the entire time. I won’t even stop touching you the entire time, I promise.” When Villanelle didn’t say no again, she took that as permission to proceed and slowly stood up, bringing Villanelle with her. She helped her lover onto the gurney and laid her down, keeping a hand on her arm even after she was situated. When one of the EMTs reached for the straps, she shook her head. “No. Uh-uh.”

“Ma’am, it’s protocol,” he said.

“She was just chained up for three days, you’re not fucking strapping her down!” Eve shouted. “She’s conscious and coherent and she stood up just now so her neck isn’t broken. Back off.”

“Ma’am, I have to—”

Before Eve could lunge at him, Carolyn appeared out of nowhere to intervene, taking the young man by the elbow and leading him away to have a chat with him.

Normally Eve would have resented that, but right now she was grateful. She wanted all of her focus to be on Villanelle. “I love you, Ville,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry for what I said.”

“You were right,” Villanelle sniffled. “I never let you work.” She paused for a few seconds and then added unsurely, “but I—I think you hurt my feelings.”

“I know,” Eve said, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I was frustrated and I should have found a better way to express myself.” She gave a rueful smile then, kind of snorting at herself. “You know… you’re new to the emotions thing, so when you don’t express yourself in the best way, at least you have an excuse. I’ve had years and years to figure shit out and I’m still terrible at it sometimes.”

Villanelle sniffled again, giving a slight, pained nod at Eve’s apology and explanation. “You called me Ville,” she said.

“Do you like it?” Eve carefully brushed some blood-soaked hair out of her girlfriend’s eyes.

Villanelle considered for a minute. “Let me think about it.”

Carolyn returned and spoke to Eve. “All set, then.”

“Thank you,” Eve said sincerely, and climbed into the back of the ambulance as the EMTs lifted the gurney inside.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umm... short little murder kink/praise kink and whatever Eve's 'I get off on the fact that you want/need me' kink is called hospital sex chapter. Not sorry.

Eve sat in a chair next to the hospital bed, watching Villanelle sleep. All the tubes and monitors made things look worse than they were, she knew, but it still hurt to see Villanelle hooked up to hospital machines. The toughest person she knew; the toughest person she had ever met, looked fragile and broken and she blamed herself. Of course she did. Everyone always blames themselves when their loved ones get hurt. It wasn’t her fault, Konstantin had tried to tell her. But she still felt like it was.

She knew Villanelle hated this too. Her lover had adamantly refused the oxygen cannula and the EKG leads until Eve had uttered one quiet ‘please’ and Villanelle had given in. The exam had not been pretty either and she didn’t want to wear a hospital gown, but Eve had asked for some privacy and helped her undress, then eased her into the gown.

X-rays had shown three cracked ribs and a nondisplaced zygomatic fracture on her left side, and the doctor diagnosed her additionally with a strain in both wrists. She was on an IV antibiotic drip and nonnarcotic anti-inflammatory medication because she refused to take anything that would cloud her head. Eve had not objected to that, just made sure the doctor adhered to her lover’s wishes.

Her lover woke with a groan, trying to sit up, but Eve was there, gently pressing her back down. “Hey, baby, I’m here,” she said.

Villanelle relaxed at the sound of Eve’s voice, and she would have smiled if she wasn’t in a fucking hospital. “How long was I sleeping?”

The groggy quality of Villanelle’s voice made Eve’s cuteness meter stand on end. “About five hours, I think,” she replied.

Villanelle groaned again, this time a fully cognizant groan. “I need to get out of here. Do you think boss lady will let me interrogate Dasha?”

Eve stared at her, stunned, unsure what to say. Villanelle hadn’t seen her kill Dasha?

“I am joking,” Villanelle said, and Eve relaxed with a whoosh of air sucked out of her lungs. “I know boss lady will not let me anywhere near her.”

The horror was back, her heart pounding in her chest. What if Villanelle would be angry that she’d killed Dasha? Oh God, this was a nightmare. “Baby, you—you didn’t see—before I unlocked you?”

“I am pretty sure I had blood in my eyes, I could not see much. I knew it was you because of your voice, your touch and the way you smell. And because I knew you would come.” _Hoped you would come_.

“Villanelle, I—I killed her,” Eve confessed, her voice choked and breathy.  
  
Now it was Villanelle’s turn for the air to whoosh out of her chest. She stared at Eve, her mouth hanging open, her pulse rushing in her ears. “You killed her?” Her voice was barely a thread. “For—for me?”

Okay, so far so good, her lover didn’t seem angry. “It was—it was premeditated,” Eve word vomited. “As soon as I got that video she was as good as dead.”

“Eve,” Villanelle said, the corners of her mouth twitching upward in a coy, faux-shy smile. “That is so romantic. How did you kill her? I would have heard a gunshot.”

Villanelle’s body language was definitely not saying ‘angry’. She was squirming a little under her blankets and Eve could hear her heavy breathing. A slow smirk spread and she leaned forward, whispering slowly into Villanelle’s ear. “I slit her throat.”

Villanelle shuddered, a hand shooting out to clamp down on Eve’s closest arm, squeezing for dear life. “Eve,” she moaned, digging her fingernails in. “I am so wet.”

Eve licked the shell of her ear. “Her blood was gushing over my hands and I felt the life draining out of her… she never even saw me coming.”

The sound from Villanelle was definitely a whimper, but she would deny that, kill you very much.

“I dropped her body on the warehouse floor, searched her for keys, and came to you.” Villanelle’s nails were digging sharply into her arm but she didn’t care. It made her feel alive. Made her feel how alive Villanelle was. She didn’t care if she had crescent-shaped scars for eternity. “MI6 probably chopped her up and dissolved her in acid.”

Villanelle groaned, a little too loud for a hospital, and used the hand gripping Eve’s arm to pull it toward her blankets. “Please,” she asked.

Something dark and possessive, yet impossibly soft, sparked to life at the idea and Eve shifted, pulling lightly at the blankets. “You need me to take care of you?” she husked.

Villanelle thought she was going to short circuit the leads stuck all over her chest with the way her heart was pounding. “Yes,” she admitted, letting go of Eve’s arm.

“Tell me,” Eve purred, inching the blankets down further, stopping them at Villanelle’s waist, her hand hovering there.

“I need you,” Villanelle didn’t even bother trying not to comply.

“You need me to…?” Her fingers crawled under the blankets.

“I need you to take care of me,” Villanelle flushed, her voice less confident, giving over control.

Eve’s fingers slipped between her thighs and were instantly coated with slick heat. “Oh, wow, baby,” she teased, “I should slit throats for you more often.”

Villanelle gasped, the idea too overwhelming to even contemplate at the moment.

“Is this what you need?” Eve asked, gathering wetness on her fingertips and moving them softly over Villanelle’s clitoris.

“Yes…” Villanelle meant for it to sound breathy and excited but it came out as a high-pitched, needy whine. She gripped the sheets with both hands, needing something to anchor her to reality so she didn’t float away with Eve.

Eve kept it light and gentle, rubbing Ville’s clit in circles, staying away from the temptation to go inside and just _fuck_ her senseless. And her efforts were rewarded with the sweetest little sounds from her lover that she could never possibly tire of hearing. When Villanelle’s hips started moving she shook her head. “No, baby, you’ve got broken ribs. Hold still and just let me take care of you.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Villanelle exhaled. “I don’t know if I can.”

“I think you can,” Eve coaxed her. “I think you can be a very. Good. Girl.”

“Fuck,” Villanelle said again, forcing her hips still, which took more effort and put more pressure on her ribs than moving them, but she wasn’t going to tell Eve that. If Eve wanted her still, she would be still. Oh, it was hard, though. She had to keep replaying the words ‘good girl’ in her mind to get her body to behave.

Eve could feel the tremble, the quiver of muscles that told her how hard Villanelle was trying. “Baby, you’re so good,” she purred into her lover’s ear, keeping up the slow, gentle circles on her clit. “Such a good girl… so well behaved, holding still for me and letting me take care of you…”

Jesus fucking Christ, had anything ever been so erotic in her life as Eve whispering praises into her ear with a hand between her legs in a semi-public hospital room? A few more minutes and she was sweating, the pressure building and ready to burst. “Yes, I—I want to be good,” she said with a nod, biting her lip until more words came tumbling out. “Please, Eve, please can I come?” Never had she ever thought she would be asking permission for that from anyone. And yet Eve hadn’t even demanded it and here she was.

Eve couldn’t hold in a moan at Villanelle’s breathless plea, and she dropped little kisses along her lover’s jaw, low enough to avoid her bruises. “Yes, baby, you can come,” she answered, keeping up the rhythmic motion of her fingers as Villanelle shuddered through a soft, drawn-out orgasm.

“Eve, what do you do to me?” she panted, finally relaxing her grip on the sheets. “I am a mess because of you. They are going to have to change the bedding.”

Eve slid her hand out from under the blankets and trailed the backs of her fingers along the side of Villanelle’s throat. “That’s their job.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle does not want to eat her vegetables. Eve would like her to.
> 
> AKA
> 
> The Power Struggle

Konstantin came by to see her, Audrey and Bear and Jamie came by to see her, even Carolyn and Elena came by to see her, and Villanelle was kind of shocked. She knew she was amazing, but she also knew that if something happened that was not amazing, no one would care about her. Except that wasn’t proving true. The flowers and stuffed animals staring at her from all around her hospital room were more true than whatever thoughts were running wild in her head, and it was a lot to process. “All of these people brought me gifts, Eve,” she said softly once they were alone. It was almost lunch time the day after she’d been admitted.

“Which is your favorite?” Eve asked, pulling her chair up to Villanelle’s bed and sitting with her.

“The little monkey thing,” Villanelle replied without having to think about it. “It is so cute.”

“I like that one too,” Eve grinned. “How are you feeling?”

“Weird.”

“Weird?”

“Yes, weird. It is very weird for me to have visitors and get presents, Eve.”

“It’s weird that people care about you?”

Villanelle’s face screwed up. “I have never had that before.”

“Okay, well is it a good weird or a bad weird?”

Villanelle shrugged, and Eve thought she looked particularly small and vulnerable.

Before she could say anything else, an orderly came in with Villanelle’s lunch. Food always perked her lover up and she watched with a tiny snicker as Villanelle’s eyes tracked the progress of the tray toward her bed. She looked so innocent like that, so childish, and Eve had the sudden urge to—as soon as the orderly left the room and the door shut behind him, and Villanelle was reaching for her dessert (of course), Eve’s hand shot out to grab the spoon. “Let me,” she said, a little awkwardly, almost cringing as she waited for Villanelle’s response. “I mean, you know, your wrists are technically strained, and…” She trailed off.

Villanelle’s grin was impish. “Eve,” she said coyly. “You don’t have to make up ridiculous excuses to feed me. If you want to feed me, you can feed me.”

“I want to feed you,” Eve rushed out.

Villanelle grinned. “Okay.”

“You’re not getting dessert first, though.”

“Of course not.”

Eve leaned over and cut up the chicken breast, then speared a piece with the plastic fork provided and fed it to Villanelle.

Villanelle was not prepared for the shivery feelings that ran all over the place when Eve put the fork to her mouth. She tried to figure out their origin as she chewed the meat, but she still didn’t have an explanation by the time she swallowed. There was already another bite waiting for her and she took it, sliding her lips suggestively over the tines of the fork. “This is really good,” she mumbled.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Eve made a face.

“I always do that.”

“Yeah, you do.”

They stared each other down for a second and Villanelle lifted her mouth into a half sneer, sticking her tongue out at Eve.

Eve fed her the rest of the chicken, one bite at a time, and speared a green bean.

“Um, no.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“I mean no. I do not eat vegetables unless they are in a soup or inside of a pasta sauce.”

“You’re kidding me.”

That half sneer again. “Do I look like I am joking?”

“No, not really.”

“Because I am not.”

“Well I’d like you to eat some green beans.”

“No.”

“Villanelle.”

“Eve.”

Eve took the chocolate pudding from Villanelle’s tray and set it on the shelf by the door, then turned back. “Half the green beans, then dessert.” She didn’t notice right away but Villanelle was staring at her in shock. “What?”

“Give me back my pudding, Eve, chocolate is my favorite.”

“Half. The green beans,” Eve insisted, eyebrow lifting.

“Do you really think you can manage me well enough to get me to eat something I don’t want to eat?” Villanelle returned the raised eyebrow.

“Yes.”

“ _Eve_ ,” Villanelle whined, rattling her tray in frustration, not wanting to let Eve win this one for some reason she couldn’t quite pinpoint. A thought occurred to her… if the green beans were all over the floor, she could not be expected to eat them, right? She flipped her tray, sending the vegetables flying, and smirked at Eve. “Oops.”

“Are you—” Eve didn’t even finish her sentence, she just grabbed Villanelle’s call button and barked into it, “can we get some more green beans in 207, please? We had a spill.”

Villanelle’s jaw dropped in disbelief. She had called and Eve had raised. Was she outmatched in the vegetable department? A tiny part of her found that unbearably exciting… but the majority of her parts found it annoying. “You are being ridiculous, Eve.”

“ _I_ am being ridiculous?” Eve asked eyebrows shooting up. “You just had a temper tantrum and threw your food on the floor. But tell me again how I’m being ridiculous?”

“Who cares about some stupid vegetables?” Villanelle sulked.

“I do, Ville, and you’re gonna eat them,” Eve insisted.

The orderly returned with a new bowl of green beans and Eve took it before he could hand it to Villanelle.

“This doesn’t look like a spill,” he said, eyeing the scattered vegetables.

“It doesn’t, does it?” Eve agreed, side-eyeing Villanelle. “It almost looks like someone had a fit and threw her food.”

Villanelle started scratching at one of the scabs on her wrist and then folded her arms across her chest, ignoring the IV line.

“I’ll get maintenance to come with a mop…”

“No, that’s fine, I’ll get it cleaned up. Would you close the door on your way out, please?”

“Sure,” he said with a nod, making his exit and pulling the door shut behind him.

Eve sighed and looked at Villanelle. “I can sit here all day and all night…”

“And I still will have not eaten a single green bean,” Villanelle said defiantly.

“No?” Eve asked, leaning closer. “Not even if I bribe you?”

“My pudding is very tempting, but it is not strong enough motivation to get me to eat this,” she said, nodding toward the bowl in Eve’s hand.

“Hm,” Eve said, pretending to think about that when in fact she already had a much better bribe in mind. “You know you’re going to be stuck here for a few days at least, right?”

“Thank you so much for rubbing it in.”

“I’m not. My point is, do you really want to be stuck in a hospital gown the entire time you’re here?”

She watched realization dawn on Villanelle’s face, her lover’s eyes going glassy, lower lip sucked between her teeth. “What is your offer?” Her voice came out raspy.

“Every piece of clothing or accessory costs one green bean. There are…” She quickly counted. “Nineteen beans in this bowl. I already said you only have to eat half to get your dessert, so we’ll round it down and say nine. Every one you eat, you tell me what to grab for you to wear, and I’ll go while you have dessert.”

Villanelle’s mouth watered at the thought of her own wonderful, luxurious, expensive clothing compared to this drab, hideous, unflattering hospital gown. She stared at Eve, sparing one final moment to mourn her defiance, and then without saying anything, she sighed and opened her mouth.

Eve did a happy dance in her head and fed Villanelle a green bean.

The chewing process was extremely slow and dramatic, complete with gagging. Villanelle made such a show of it and made so many horrible noises that Eve almost gagged as well. She said nothing, though, because Villanelle was eating it. “One,” she said when her lover swallowed. “Ready for the next?”

“Where is my _juice_!” Villanelle shrieked.

“I’m gonna go ahead and guess it’s on the floor somewhere, probably busted open since you _threw_ your tray?”

Villanelle started gagging again and waved one hand frantically toward the call button.

Eve grabbed it and tried not to let her amusement show as she asked for another juice.

When it arrived, Villanelle drank half of it in one go, as if she’d just returned from a week in the desert and Eve had denied her water.

“If you’re done with the theatrics…?” Eve prompted as Villanelle wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Villanelle gave her a petulant glare but slowly opened her mouth.

Eve fought down one of those shivers she got whenever Villanelle made her feel this powerful, and fed her the second green bean.

It went much the same as the first, with maybe a little less gagging since Ville had her juice handy this time.

“I do not want any more,” Villanelle announced as she wiped her mouth again and set her juice on the table next to the bed. Surely Eve would do what she wanted now. She had eaten two horrid beans, after all.

“If you stop now, I can bring you two pieces of clothing or accessories,” Eve said simply.

“But I want all of the pieces of clothing and accessories,” Villanelle tried. “I want to feel like myself from head to toe.”

“Then you have seven more to go. Open up.”

“You are being so mean. You would be a terrible parent,” Villanelle snapped, and she could feel the chill in the air as soon as the words left her lips. “I did not mean that,” she said right away. “You are a _really_ , _very_ good parent.”

“I’m not a parent at all,” Eve reminded her. She knew what Villanelle was referring to but after that childish insult she wanted to see her lover squirm.

“No, but I mean…” Villanelle blushed and trailed off.

Eve intended to make her say it out loud.

“I mean when I am Oksana and you are Mommy Eve,” she whispered after several long moments of stalling. “You are the best.”

Eve thoroughly enjoyed seeing Villanelle try to backtrack something she’d said. It was a rather novel experience and it made her feel good that Villanelle didn’t want to offend her. A year ago, or even six months, probably, there would have been no attempt to smooth things over. So, she let her lover off the hook. “Thank you,” she said quietly, leaning forward to kiss Villanelle’s forehead, mindful of her cuts and bruises. “Now I don’t want any more fuss. That means no noises and no gagging, understand?”

Villanelle looked pitiful but she nodded and opened for another bean.

***

After she swallowed the ninth piece of filth, Villanelle drank the rest of her juice. She was decidedly unhappy about having to eat plain vegetables, but… she kind of liked Eve’s consistency and the fact that she couldn’t get away with any of her usual bullshit.

“Good girl,” Eve purred at her, grabbing the pudding from the shelf and handing it over. “Text me what you want me to grab you and I’ll be back soon.”

“Just bring the whole closet,” Villanelle said with a dreamy expression.

“Nine items, Ville.”

“Nine items is bullshit,” Villanelle muttered.

“Unless you want to eat more green beans?” There were still ten left in the bowl…

Villanelle plastered on a smile that would have charmed a Saint. “Nine is _perfect_.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle does a little bit of Russian cussing... and also has a panic attack.
> 
> что-- = what are--  
> ты мудак = you asshole  
> сестра = sister  
> Нет = no

“I want my Vampire’s Wife dress,” Villanelle’s voice came through the phone.

“I have no idea what that is,” Eve said, staring into the closet, holding her phone between her shoulder and her ear so she could use both hands to scroll through Villanelle’s clothes.

She could practically hear the eye roll on the other end before Villanelle replied. “It is a blue dress that opens in the back. It has long sleeves and little bit fluffy shoulders and red flowers, and it goes down to my ankles and—”

“Yeah, I’ve got it,” Eve said with a laugh, pulling it from the hanger.

“Be careful with it!” Villanelle gasped into her ear. “I can hear you being too rough with it, Eve.”

Eve froze, staring at her hands holding the dress. “I just took it off the hanger. What…?”

“No!” Villanelle shrieked. “что--Do not fold it! Put it back on the hanger, Eve, you have to hang it in your car.”

“Are you panicking this hard over a dress?” Eve asked, highly entertained, but she slipped the dress back on the hanger, keeping it separate from the rest of the clothes so she could grab it on the way out. “I mean I can hear you wheezing. And you used Russian.”

Villanelle ignored her. “I want my red lace bra and matching underwear, and something red for my hair. I will need my hairbrush and my new perfume, the one without a name, it’s in front of the others.”

“It’s not one of the ones you busted, is it?”

“Never.”

Eve gathered the requested items and put them in her bag. “Three things left.”

Villanelle made a displeased noise. “My black boots. The flat ones, not the high heels.”

“Socks?”

“I am not wasting an item on socks when my boots would just cover them, Eve.”

Eve snorted. “Silly me.”

“Yes, that was silly. I want my deodorant that is in the pink tube, the Russian one, and—”

Eve could hear her smirk.

“—and my makeup bag.”

Eve was not to be outwitted. “What do you want with an empty makeup bag?”

“ _EVE_!”

“I don’t deal in loopholes,” Eve informed her. “Pick one more thing.”

“ты мудак!” Villanelle shouted, and Eve didn’t have to speak Russian to know she was just called an asshole. “My eyeliner. The Guerlain one, not the Givenchy.”

“Jesus Christ.”

***

Eve convinced one of the nurses to cap off Villanelle’s IV just long enough for her to get out of bed and change clothes, because she knew if the nurse refused, Villanelle would just rip the cath out of her hand and they’d have to find a new vein and start over.

“You can be very convincing, Eve,” Villanelle said as she slipped out of the hospital gown and let Eve help her into her bra. “My favorite part was when you asked if she would enjoy venous blood spurting all over her face when I ripped out the catheter.” She paused, thoughtful, and then added, “Personally, I would prefer arterial blood. More messy.”

Eve snickered and clipped Villanelle’s bra behind her, straightening out the straps and watching Villanelle carefully shift the cups around until it was comfortable. She didn’t want Ville bending over with a fractured cheekbone so she took the panties and let her lover step into them—and what in the fuck, because the polish on her toenails wasn’t even chipped after being chained up and tortured for three days? She gave the polish a dubious look, then shook her head and pulled up Villanelle’s panties, fitting them over her hips and letting Villanelle adjust them.

“Thank you, Eve,” Villanelle said dreamily. “This feels sooooo much better.” She let out a happy sigh and allowed Eve to slip the dress on, then turned around to get it zipped.

“See what happens when you behave for me?” Eve purred into her ear from behind.

Villanelle shivered but didn’t give in. “You bring me a hundredth of what I deserve?”

Eve burst out laughing and put Villanelle’s boots on for her, lacing them up and tying them off. “мoдак,” she said, hoping she was close.

“мудак,” Villanelle corrected, “if you are trying to call me an asshole.”

“мудак,” Eve repeated. “Yes, I was.”

Villanelle mostly didn’t like Russian, but she decided that she liked Eve trying to use it. “Yes, you got it,” she said, climbing back into bed, feeling a thousand times better. “Will you brush my hair?”

“Absolutely. Let the nurse hook you back up to everything first, but then absolutely.” 

After the nurse reattached the IV tubing and the EKG leads, Eve took the hairbrush from the bedside table, where she had emptied Villanelle’s accessories from her bag, and sat on the edge of the bed. She separated one section of hair and started gently running the brush through the ends, working her way up to the roots.

“Oh,” Villanelle whispered. “I like the way you do that, Eve.”

“Good,” Eve replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever brushed someone else’s hair in my life.”

“When I was dropped at the orphanage, they made me do it myself. Before that… Tatiana wasn’t gentle.”

Eve almost didn’t dare to breathe, rare as it was for Villanelle to talk about her childhood. She quickly decided that staying silent would make her lover self-conscious, though, and probably shut down, so she went for casual as she moved on to the next section of hair. “I like this,” she said quietly. “It’s nice, and your hair is so pretty. I can’t imagine brushing it in any way _but_ gentle.”

“She used to make me cry,” Villanelle said, voice flat, staring absently ahead of her. “She always threatened to cut it. I liked my long hair so I tried to stop crying.”

“I like your long hair,” Eve agreed, running it through her fingers as she brushed. “I would never want you to cut it.” She was almost halfway done. “It’s beautiful. _You_ are beautiful.”

Villanelle turned to look at Eve with a quiet gasp, vision blurry and her lower lip quivering. “Eve,” she breathed, wanting to lean forward and drown in this amazing woman. This amazing woman who made _her_ feel like a woman and not just a monster.

“You’re so beautiful,” Eve repeated, pressing a tender kiss to the right side of her mouth, the side least affected by injuries. “Inside and out.”

Villanelle could feel her chest constricting, the air in her lungs thickening, making it hard to force any in or out. “I…” She didn’t know what to say. She was so consumed with the fire of emotion that she almost couldn’t speak.

“I’m gonna move so I can do the other side,” Eve told her with another quick little kiss, then walked around the bed to continue brushing her hair. “Okay, it’s perfect,” she said when she finished. She watched Villanelle’s expression go from bewildered and overwhelmed to abject horror in one split second and she spun around, expecting to see—well, she had no idea, actually, because she had no idea what would truly scare Villanelle. Certainly not MI6. Not even The Twelve. So why was she paralyzed with fear over a semi-scruffy young man and a semi-adorable kid?

Regardless of her disbelief, Eve moved protectively between the bed and the door. “Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m Bor’ka and this is Pyotr,” the kid said animatedly, waving his hands around. “She’s our sister!”

So hardly anything could even touch Eve anymore, but her body seized with shock. “Say what now?” she asked in a high-pitched voice.

Bor’ka came bounding into the room while Pyotr grabbed for him and missed, and Eve could see how uncomfortable Pyotr was, though clearly the kid did not share that discomfort.

“She came to visit us in Russia and we went to the harvest festival and she won a prize, and then she blew up the house and gave me money to go see Elton John’s farewell tour!”

Villanelle was quietly hyperventilating, wide eyes never leaving the doorway, her heart beating double time. Was Pyotr here to turn her in? Or tear her down for killing their mother?

Eve backed up slowly until she bumped into the bed and lowered herself to sit. “What?” was all she could manage, and when she realized she was holding the hairbrush like a weapon, she set it on the bedside table. “What?” she asked again, just to be sure she asked out loud. Her voice was still annoyingly high.

“Elton John’s farewell tour!” Bor’ka repeated, as if _that_ was the part Eve was having difficulty with. “I wanted her to go with me but she was gone. I thought she blow up in the house but Pyotr tell me she was the one who blow it up.” He peered around Eve. “I wanted to say thank you, сестра.”

Eve turned to see tears running down Villanelle’s cheeks and she laid a hand on her lover’s arm. She hoped Villanelle would come up with some words because she honestly had no fucking idea what to say.

When Villanelle didn’t answer him, Bor’ka turned to Eve. “Why isn’t she talking? Did her mouth get hurt?”

“She not talk because she afraid we hate her,” Pyotr finally spoke up.

“What?!” Bor’ka exploded at the same time Villanelle exhaled in a rush with her eyes on Pyotr, “do you?”

Pyotr put his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor for a minute, taking a slow breath, and then sighed as he looked back up at his sister. “No.”

Eve didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath waiting for his answer, on just as much edge as Villanelle, but when he said no she felt this wave of relief wash through her for her lover.

“You don’t?” Villanelle asked, that flat tone, her lip curled up on one side that Eve had come to know meant she didn’t really believe someone. “You are sure about that?”

“I come there?” he asked, still standing in the doorway.

Pyotr looked sad, Eve thought. But Villanelle was and would always be her first priority. “If you’re not gonna hurt her…”

“Нет,” he said quickly. “No. No, never.”

“All right,” Eve said warily. “You can come in.”

Villanelle gave a shaky, rattling breath as Pyotr came into her hospital room, feeling the sweat pricking at her forehead and the back of her neck. This was it. This was the moment when the only good thing she had left from her past would berate her; ridicule her; scream at her and abandon her. She tightened her fists, her face hot and jaw clenched, waiting to be cast aside again, just like their mother had done to her already. Twice. It was becoming hauntingly familiar.

“You…” Pyotr started, shaking his head at himself, then tried again, staring at his hands while they fumbled with one of the buttons on his flannel shirt. “You are right. About—about Mom. I not want to believe. Then I realize it not matter if I believe, because you still right. After Bor’ka see house explode, he tell me what she say to him after pirozhki contest and I think of all times she say those thing to us. And Bor’ka… Bor’ka no more hit himself after she go.”

Villanelle felt like she was having a heart attack, although she had nothing to compare it to. Every part of her body was shaking and she was sweating all over now, her chest too hot and radiating heat down her arms and legs. Her vision started to cloud from the edges inward and she couldn’t get a full breath.

Eve noticed the panic attack and took Villanelle’s hand. “Can you step out just for a minute?” she asked Pyotr and Bor’ka, and they both nodded, hurrying back into the hallway. She turned back to her lover and lightly squeezed. “Breathe, baby. You’re having a panic attack.” She hit the call button. “I need cold water and a towel in 207, now,” she snapped, hoping the nurses and orderlies wouldn’t get sick of her randomly demanding things. “Breathe in slow, through your nose.”

Villanelle tried to focus on Eve’s voice; on the instructions. She breathed in through her nose but all of the sickening feelings were still there. “It’s hot,” she said helplessly.

“I’ve got cold water coming, baby. You’re doing great.”

An orderly rushed in and Eve grabbed the cup and the towel, dunking as much of the towel as she could into the small plastic cup. “I need more water than this,” she said, handing back the empty cup and placing the wet towel on Villanelle’s forehead.

The cold was shocking, and perfect. Things were blurry but she felt the cold on her forehead, combating the heat. The colder she got, the more vision she regained and the easier she could breathe.

Eve received a pitcher of water this time and dunked the towel again, touching it to Ville’s throat and collarbones, careful to avoid her dress – she didn’t need to trigger another attack during this one. She left the towel there and wet her hands, running them through Villanelle’s hair, repeating that a few times until her lover started to relax. “There you go, baby,” she encouraged, relieved when Villanelle’s eyes returned to a state of alertness.

A few minutes of silence, just breathing together, and then Villanelle asked, “what the _fuck_ was that? Did I have a heart attack?”

Eve almost wanted to tell her she did have a heart attack just so she wouldn’t have to tell her it was a panic attack. “No, it was a panic attack,” she said, preparing for the worst, but she was pleasantly surprised.

“Oh.” Pause. “That has never happened to me before.”

“Family can really fuck with your head,” Eve offered.

Villanelle snorted, regaining a bit of her fire. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Where did they go? Did they leave?”

“No, I just asked them to step into the hall for a minute. I didn’t figure you’d want an audience for… that.”

“Thank you, Eve,” Villanelle said, struck once again at how amazing this woman was and how amazing Eve made her feel every single day. “I must have done something right in another life.”

Eve grinned. “Nah. I’m your punishment,” she teased.

“If you were my punishment you would not have such great hair.”

A laugh bubbled up and she let it go, wondering if it was even possible to be more in love with Villanelle than she already was. She was pretty sure it wasn’t. There was a lot of love for this woman. Like, a looooooootttt. “Do you want me to go get them?”

Villanelle bit her lip but nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle is bad at censoring herself, even in front of family.

“How did you know I was here?” Villanelle asked.

Eve had gotten chairs for Pyotr and Bor’ka while she chose to sit on the edge of Villanelle’s bed.

“We got call from your friend Konstantin,” Pyotr explained. “I do not know how he got number.”

Villanelle snorted. “He is the worst.”

“I want to hug you!” Bor’ka exclaimed, wiggling in his seat.

“You cannot hug me,” Villanelle told him. “Stop squirming around, that is annoying.”

Eve slowly turned to look at her with a face full of incredulity.

Villanelle held up a hand. “Do not say it, Eve,” she warned. “I know what you are going to say.”

Eve snickered and shook her head, but took it easy on her girl.

“You are squirmy too, I knew it,” Bor’ka said.

“Did you go to the farewell tour?” Villanelle changed the subject. “Because I see you certainly did not use the money for fashion.” She stared at his drab jeans and t-shirt with some hideous cartoon character on it.

“Of course I went,” Bor’ka said, now bouncing in his seat. “It was the best thing that ever happen to me. That is why I want to hug you.”

“You cannot hug me,” Villanelle snapped again, sticking her tongue out at him.

He returned the gesture and one-upped her by sticking his thumbs in his ears and wagging his fingers as well.

She copied the monkey face and started making the noises to go along with it, and Eve and Pyotr just suffered.

“Good monkey noises,” Bor’ka said, impressed. “You practice?”

“Of course not, I am just naturally talented,” Villanelle scoffed. She made the noise one more time, especially loud, just for Eve, and watched her girlfriend cringe. “Eve. Come on. You love my noises.”

“Some of them,” Eve snorted.

“Eve!” Villanelle gasped, pretending to be scandalized. “Do not make sexual comments in front of my brothers.”

“Oh my God,” Eve said, jaw dropping. “That is not what I meant.” Except it kind of was.

Pyotr finally spoke up again. “You are Oksana’s—”

“Girlfriend,” Villanelle interrupted before Eve could decide not to admit it which would devastate her and be embarrassing and horrible and stupid.

Eve sensed the urgency in the answer and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to the right side of her lover’s mouth. “Girlfriend,” she agreed, staring into Ville’s eyes, trying to show her that she’d had nothing to worry about in the first place.

Villanelle got very warm and fuzzy and flushed.

“That’s not a problem for you, is it?” Eve asked, eyebrow lifted as she turned back to Pyotr.

“Problem?” he repeated, shaking his head. “No. I am glad my sister has girlfriend who is protective. Who I can see love her very much. Girlfriend who stand up for her.” He offered a soft smile. “Oksana deserve to be happy.”

“Don’t be so _nice_ ,” Villanelle said, scrunching up the less injured side of her face.

Bor’ka laughed. “That is what I always tell him!” He high-fived Villanelle when she reached up a hand. “He have this one girlfriend last year who was so rude to him, all the time, and I tell him don’t be so nice! He did not even ask her to stop saying rude things!”

Pyotr was blushing. “What can I say? I am nice person.”

“You beat the crap out of sofas so you don’t beat the crap out of people,” Villanelle remembered. “Do you know what Eve does if I am rude to her?”

Eve did a double take. “Oh com—Oksa—that’s—let’s _not_.” Her cheeks were burning and Villanelle hadn’t even said the unthinkable yet. There was no way she would tell her _brothers_ , right?

WRONG.

“She gives me a spanking,” Villanelle continued as if imparting sage wisdom unto her younger siblings that they could get nowhere else and might not survive without.

“Oh my God.” Eve tried to sink into the wall behind the bed.

Bor’ka covered his mouth with both hands to hide his laughter.

Pyotr cleared his throat awkwardly. “I do not think that is something to share with brothers, no?”

“ _Thank_ you,” Eve said, extending a hand toward Pyotr as if he was a shining example of how to behave… which he was, actually.

“But I like sharing it,” Villanelle said, brows knitted in confusion. “I like for everyone to know that I am Eve’s. Why does it matter if you are my brothers or strangers?”

Pyotr looked at Eve for help.

“I don’t really know how to explain it, baby, it’s just generally accepted as inappropriate.”

“Well I do not accept it,” Villanelle argued.

A light bulb went off in Eve’s mind. “Oh! Remember how you said it would be embarrassing if Konstantin found out you were upset or crying?”

“Yes.”

“It’s embarrassing to your brothers to find out that I—that we—whatever we do together in private. It’s embarrassing to them to know about it.”

“Oh.” Villanelle tried to process that with little success. “But—”

“We’re just gonna MOVE ON,” Eve said, sweeping her arms as if she were sweeping the conversation.

Pyotr was grateful for that. “So what happened? How do you end up in hospital?”

Eve cringed. That wasn’t a better subject, not really.

“Revenge,” Villanelle sighed, staring at the ceiling. “I had sex with someone she wanted me to kill and then shot out her kneecaps, so she kidnapped me and tortured me until Eve came to rescue me.”

Pyotr went pale as Bor’ka just kept laughing into his hands. “What?” he squeaked.

“Yeah, I know, it was _awful_ ,” Villanelle said, thinking they were commiserating.

“She’s kidding,” Eve said, her own laugh sounding a bit maniacal. “Aren’t you, honey?” She gave Villanelle an ‘if looks could kill’ look.

Villanelle shrunk under that gaze and realized maybe she shouldn’t be telling the truth so easily. “Of course I am joking,” she laughed, sounding just as maniacal as Eve. “I don’t even have a gun. I can’t believe you fell for that. Remember when I punched you in the face?”

Pyotr visibly relaxed, letting out a slow breath. “How could I forget?” he asked, rubbing the spot in question as if he still had phantom pain.

Eve breathed a subtle sigh of relief. After this, they were going to need to have The Talk.

“So what really happened?” Bor’ka asked when it seemed like no one else was going to pick up the slack.

“I will let Eve explain it to you,” Villanelle said generously.

“Oh,” Eve said, smiling at her. “How nice.” Her smile twitched a little toward wicked. “That is so thoughtful, baby. What a _good_ girl.” She watched Villanelle’s eyes darken and her jaw clench. “ _So_ good,” she pushed a little further, toning down the smirk as she finally looked over at Pyotr.

Villanelle didn’t even hear what Eve was saying to Pyotr because her blood was rushing in her ears, her cheeks were burning and her nice clean lace panties were wet. She shifted a bit uncomfortably and tuned back into the conversation in time to hear Eve say that MI6 had caught the guy.

“So she’s safe, don’t worry,” Eve assured the boys. “Are you gentlemen in town for awhile?”

“At least a few days,” Pyotr nodded. “We would like to see Oksana when she is release from hospital, if this is okay?”

Villanelle was still not quite over the arousal from all the good girl comments and didn’t respond.

“I’ll give you my number and get yours,” Eve told Pyotr. “I’ll let you know how she’s feeling after she’s released.”

He smiled and nodded, and they exchanged phones, each putting their number into the other’s, then handed them back. “It is good to meet you. I like how you are for my sister,” Pyotr said quietly. “Mama was not—Mama was not good to her.”

“I can hear you,” Villanelle said, her face indicating the level of stupidity she thought he was displaying at the moment.

“Can I hug you now?” Bor’ka asked, getting out of his chair.

“No. I am injured.”

“After you are not injured?”

“…no.”

“Ugh!”

“I know, I am the worst.”

“The worst!” he agreed. “But really the best. I like my life better now.”

“I usually know what I am doing,” Villanelle nodded, taking the compliment in stride.

“What if I didn’t wake up?”

“I set your alarm.”

“What if I couldn’t read English?”

“You speak it, why wouldn’t you be able to read it?”

“What if I didn’t like surprises?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, every child likes surprises.”

“What if—”

“I would have waited,” Villanelle said, tiring of the questions. “I am in a lot of pain, I want to rest now. Come back tomorrow.”

Bor’ka rolled his eyes at her but got up and moved to the door anyway, waiting for Pyotr.

Pyotr’s eyes danced with mirth for the first time since Eve had seen him in the doorway. “What if I am not sleeping in barn this night?”

Villanelle growled at him, only half playful. “I know what I am doing, okay? Like I told that little shithead, I would have waited. Now get out.” She folded her arms across her chest and looked away, then snapped her head back to quickly add, “and come back tomorrow.”

Eve saw Pyotr’s lips twitch before he pursed them seriously and nodded. “See you tomorrow, сестра.”

Once they were gone Eve groaned at her lover. “Ville.”

“What?” She started picking at her blankets.

“You can’t just casually tell civilians that you shot out someone’s kneecaps and were tortured as revenge.”

“I kiiiiind of got that idea when you yelled that I was joking and laughed like a crazy person.”

“Yeah. Because we don’t want the general public knowing you’re an assassin. You do get that part, right? I mean you weren’t exactly discreet when you worked for The Twelve, but you didn’t go screaming your kills from the front door of the police station, either.”

“Is this lecture over yet because I want you to brush my hair some more.”

Eve put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, staring at her lover.

“Okay fine, yes, I get that, I will not talk about shooting out kneecaps and torture in front of civilians, even if they are my family,” she said dramatically. “Okay?”

Eve grinned. “Much better. And you won’t talk about our sex life in front of your family either, right?”

“I still do not understand that one but I will try,” Villanelle said with a long-suffering sigh. “People are just people, Eve, whether they were born to the same woman or not.”

“That’s true, but it’s still uncomfortable, baby. Please just don’t do it.”

“ _Fine_.”

“Thank you.” She picked up the hairbrush and started to run it gently through Villanelle’s hair, the same as she had before. “I do like that you want people to know you’re mine, though,” she added after a few minutes of easy silence.

“ _Eve_ , I can’t believe you just said you want to tattoo ‘Eve’s property’ somewhere on my body,” Villanelle exclaimed. “That is really naughty. Somebody should spank you for having such a naughty idea.”

Eve burst out laughing, leaning over with her face in her hands, abandoning her task of hair brushing for a minute while she tried to catch her breath. But when Villanelle didn’t laugh, she chanced a glance at her lover to find dark, swirling eyes staring at her, pupils blown. She didn’t know what to say. How to react. There was a sudden, intense throb between her legs and she gripped the hairbrush tighter. “You—” she tried and stopped, her mouth going dry.

Villanelle just sat there staring, burning with the need to be somehow marked so there would never be any question of who she belonged with; of whether Eve wanted her. She needed Eve to want to do this. She did not know how to express her need.

The longer they stared, the more charged the air became, and Eve finally let out a shuddering breath. “I don’t think of you as property,” she finally said, reaching out to trail a finger down Villanelle’s right cheek. Oh, her skin was warm. _So_ warm.

“But you think of me as yours?” Villanelle whispered, leaning into the touch, eyes struggling to stay open. It was soft, and sweet, this dance they were trying to do.

“Yes,” Eve admitted. “I most definitely think of you as mine. My baby, my girl, my lover, my assassin, my girlfriend, my Villanelle, my Oksana, my entire world, but not my property.”

Villanelle moaned softly, her eyelids fluttering, the warmth in her cheeks spreading through the rest of her body and making her shiver, hard. “I want to be marked, Eve, I want—” She stopped, took a breath, trying to express herself like Eve could always seem to do. “I want my body to say ‘Eve’s property’ because we will both know I am everything _else_.” She hoped that made sense because she couldn’t get her brain to provide any more words to make it clearer.

That powerful feeling started welling up in Eve’s belly, working her over, reaching her head and her cunt at the same time, her thighs giving a little jerk before she squeezed them together. _What_ was she supposed to say?

“If you do not want—”

“I want.” She was sure of that much at least. She knew she probably shouldn’t want it, but she wanted. “I really, really want.” Her voice was low and sounded dark to her ears. “Please don’t ever think I don’t want you, Villanelle, because I want you always. Every minute of every day. When I’m awake, asleep, halfway in between… when I’m at home, at work, in the car, on the tube… every minute, I want you. And you _are_ mine, Ville. You _are_.”

Villanelle’s relief was palpable to both of them; her exhale soft and airy. “I decided I love that name, because you gave it to me,” she said. “And it sounds pretty.” She focused on the rest of it then, a content sigh heaving out. “I am yours, Eve. All yours. I want everyone to know. They will think I am your property but we will know better. We will know more than they do and we will hold that knowledge in a place where it can never be touched.”

“I know you hate waiting,” Eve started. “But I want you to wait a month. If you still want me to have you tattooed as my property after thinking it over for a month, we will do it.”

The bittersweet quality of that response turned Villanelle to ice and melted her all in the same breath. “Okay,” she agreed, instinctively understanding that Eve just needed her to be sure. She was sure, but she would do this for Eve, because… because Eve was her entire world, too.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moar hospital sex with a side of praise kink and very submissive Villanelle
> 
> *also where are the rest of the commenters bc I am about as bored as Billie and as attention-seeking as Villanelle 😂*

Everyone visited again the next day, except Carolyn, and it was all fine, but by evening Villanelle was getting antsy and irritable. She wanted her Malouf sheets and her Liliana Rizzari duvet and her shower and her own apartment and to sleep next to Eve and to eat food that didn’t come from a cafeteria.

Eve knew Villanelle was on the verge of an explosion, or worse, checking herself out of the hospital before it was safe for her to leave. She ran damage control the best she could but her lover just kept slowly getting more and more agitated until things came to a head.

“When the orderly comes in here with my shitty dinner I am going to snap his neck,” she said, no trace of teasing in her dangerously low voice.

Eve met the orderly at the door and took the tray, closing herself in with it, the orderly on the outside. When she turned to carry the food to her lover, she froze. Villanelle was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs over the side in preparation to stand, IV ripped out and leads ripped off. “Fuck.” She set the tray quickly on her chair and squatted in front of Villanelle, blocking her way off the bed. “Baby, please.”

“Get out of my way, Eve,” Villanelle warned. Her blood was boiling; proverbial fangs extended, ready to pierce even the woman she adored. But then hands pushed up her dress and lips were on the inside of her knee and she forgot how to breathe, let alone how to be angry. “Oh,” she exhaled shakily.

Eve knew that using sex wasn’t a very polite thing to do, but she had run out of other options at this point and the worry in her chest would have overwhelmed her if Villanelle left the hospital. She also knew it was only a matter of seconds, one minute tops, before the nurse would come in to see what was wrong with the monitors. “Back in bed,” she whispered, licking her way up Villanelle’s thigh. “And let the nurse fix your IV and your leads if you want my tongue in your pretty little cunt…”

Villanelle clenched everywhere and this unrecognizable sound tumbled out of her. She pushed herself back into bed, laying down, breathing hard and just staring in awe at Eve.

Sure enough, the nurse came hurrying in a few seconds later. “Is everything okay?” she asked, her mouth drawn down when she saw the scattered equipment. “Oh.”

“Are you going to behave?” Eve asked, needing confirmation from Villanelle before she let anyone else near her lover.

Villanelle tilted her chin down a fraction, then back up to indicate she would.

“She’s a little frustrated at still being here,” Eve told the nurse. “But we’ve worked it out and she’s ready for a new IV.”

Villanelle thought vaguely that it should be much harder for Eve to manipulate her, but she would have been kidding herself if she didn’t admit that Eve’s tongue could make her do literally _anything_.

The nurse nodded and fixed the leads back onto Villanelle’s chest, then disappeared for a minute and returned with a new IV kit. She made short work of it, using Villanelle’s left hand this time, and cleaned up the drying blood that had leaked out of the tiny hole in her right hand, placing a bandage over the spot. “Let me know if you need anything,” the nurse said with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry you’re frustrated.”

“Thank you,” Eve said, because behaving, to Villanelle, did not include pleasantries. It only included not murdering someone.

“Of course,” the nurse said, taking her leave and shutting the door behind her.

Villanelle stared at Eve warily.

Eve walked over and shut the blinds, then stood at the foot of Villanelle’s bed. “Take your panties off.”

Villanelle’s breath left her in a rush, thighs twitching as she reached under her dress and pulled off her panties.

Eve took them from her and put them in her bag. “Pull up your dress.”

Villanelle’s mouth went dry and her hands shook as she moved them to the hem of her dress, bringing it up to her knees, her eyes never leaving Eve’s face.

Eve quirked an eyebrow. “Higher.”

Villanelle squirmed and inched it up to mid-thigh. “How high, Eve?” she asked breathily.

“High enough that I can see if you’re wet.”

“I am very wet, Eve.”

“Pull up your dress. Show me.”

It was absurdly lewd, and thrilling. She finally hitched her dress up around her waist, keeping her knees pressed together.

“Villanelle,” Eve warned, licking her lips. Her fingertips were itching to leave their mark on Ville’s thighs, pushing them open wide. But first, Villanelle needed to be good. “Open.”

Villanelle swallowed, her entire body already on fire and Eve was still not touching her. She employed one last smart-assed tactic and opened her mouth.

Eve chuckled, a dark, foreboding sound. “Do you really not want me to go down on you?”

“I am just playing, Eve,” Villanelle breathed, sliding her knees apart, showing Eve everything.

Eve moved onto the end of the bed. “Open,” she said again.

Villanelle’s stomach gave a sharp twist, a groan forcing its way out. Her hands were still shaking, maybe worse now, and she dipped them between her legs, tugging lightly at the folds of her cunt to open herself further. No one had ever asked her to do that before. It was making her feel all sorts of things. She didn’t even know which feelings to focus on; they were all attacking her at once. But she was wetter. It was good. These were good feelings. “Like this?” she whispered, her voice scratchy even for a whisper.

“Just like that,” Eve purred. “Good girl. You’re being _so_ good for me… I can see how wet you are. Would you like to feel my mouth on you, baby?”

“Yes,” Villanelle breathed, everything clenching again. Good. Eve called her good. A good girl.

“Can you behave a little longer and hold yourself like that for me while I make you feel good?”

Villanelle’s eyes threatened to roll back, her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. Not the best for broken ribs but she didn’t care. Eve thought she was _good_. “Yes, I will,” she gasped.

“Mmm… perfect,” Eve murmured, eyes glued between Villanelle’s legs as she slowly crawled forward, ducking her head to kiss one of Ville’s healing wrists, then the other, dragging her tongue down over the back of her lover’s right hand, the back of her fingers, which led to her soaking wet cunt, that Eve had tasted before but not _directly_ , and oh God she smelled so good, and—“Your cunt is so pretty,” she couldn’t help saying, and then she licked her way through spread folds, groaning into Villanelle’s skin. “Pretty girl,” she praised her, thrilled when Villanelle’s hips bucked. God, she loved to make this woman lose control.

Villanelle’s fingers were slipping; it was hard to hold herself open with Eve’s tongue down there and all the wet everywhere. And Eve’s filthy mouth was making it _worse_. Making more wet everywhere. “Eve, that feels—my—my—”

And God, she loved to make this woman unable to properly speak. This fierce, eloquent predator of a woman shaking and stuttering because of her. She went for another long, slow lick, groaning again at the taste and feel and the jerk of Villanelle’s hips. “Good girl,” she crooned, paying a little attention to Villanelle’s clit, flicking it a few times before bathing it with kisses, then finally sucking it into her mouth in a pulsing rhythm.

Villanelle was going to lose it, she was going to come embarrassingly fast, and Eve’s mouth was on her, on her, on her, sucking and licking and extracting every sliver of self-control she possessed, and calling her good, and it was too much, and she came with a strangled scream, thighs clamping around Eve’s ears. “Fuck,” she whined, tossing her head to the side and arching her back, shaking, shaking, shuddering, and then her pulse stopped blocking her hearing and she was aware of the pitiful, whimpering noises she was still making, and how did Eve _do_ this to her?

Eve swirled her tongue around, cleaning Villanelle off, then sat up on her heels. “Don’t let go yet, baby,” she husked.

Villanelle let out yet another embarrassing noise that sounded like a squeak, keeping her fingers where they were. “Eve,” she complained softly, a flush on her cheeks. “Why?”

“Because I like looking at you,” Eve answered simply. “And I like how well behaved you are, just for me. Mine.”

Villanelle’s flush spread to her throat at the word, and at the way Eve was just staring between her legs. She felt so exposed, so vulnerable. Prey to Eve’s wolf. Sustenance to Eve’s hunger. Water to Eve’s thirst. Weakness to Eve’s power. Virgin to Eve’s _whore_. She felt wanted. She felt worshiped. She felt worthy. She would hold herself open for as long as Eve wished her to. Even if someone walked through the door she would not move her hands. Even if it was Konstantin, she would not move her hands.

Eve took her time looking, memorizing every inch of skin, every smear of arousal, every breath Villanelle took, every tremble of her fingers, every strained muscle in her lover’s arms. Villanelle was an exquisite work of art. “You are gorgeous,” she whispered. “Sensual. Arousing. Perfect. You are a _masterpiece_.”

Villanelle’s breathing was shit. Fast and heavy and punctured with little extra hitching breaths every few seconds that somehow fit in between the others. Was this normal? Sex had never felt like this before, with anyone else. She had enjoyed herself, but with Eve, this was… another level. Was it because she loved Eve or because Eve loved her? Both, maybe. Her fingers started to ache but instead of complaining and asking to stop, she just felt a warm glow in her chest at making Eve’s eyes look like _that_.

“So fucking beautiful,” Eve murmured again, then held out her hands. “Let go. Give me your hands, baby.”

Villanelle complied, and was stunned when Eve started to massage her fingers. “Oh,” she exhaled. “Oh, that is very nice.” She especially liked how it felt when Eve gave light tugs on each of them to work the knuckles. She moaned when Eve did that. All ten times.

Eve tugged Villanelle’s dress back down and released her lover’s hands. “Please don’t take out your IV again, Ville.”

Villanelle lightly shook her head. “I won’t.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle has an unprecedented reaction to a Halestorm song she hears on Pandora. Eve... well, Eve is perfect and walks her through it.

Villanelle was finally released the next day, under strict orders to take it easy for the next month and keep pressure away from the left side of her face. Eve had promised to make it worth her while if she followed the discharge orders, so she had pouted in bed for two days and was only just now allowed out of bed to do things around the apartment. Careful things, Eve had told her. So naturally, she was dancing around the apartment listening to music while she swept the floors.

Eve had been working from home because she didn’t want to leave her alone, which Villanelle was fine with because the more Eve the better. It was really hard to let her work, though. Like… extra hard. She had failed a handful of times already but she was getting a little better at it.

She danced with the broom, lip synching or singing along with the songs she knew, and then a song came on that she hadn’t heard before. The beginning was okay, but when she heard the chorus she froze, the broom slipping from her hands as she listened.

**_You are the only one_ **

**_The only one that sees me_ **   
**_Trusts me and believes me_ **

Villanelle gasped, her eyes going a bit wide.

**_You are the only one_ **

**_The only one that knows me_ **   
**_And in the dark you show me_ **

**_It's perfectly reckless_ **

**_Damn_ **   
**_You leave me defenseless_ **

She had grabbed the kitchen counter for support, eyes filled with tears, the song’s words taking root in her heart and touching her in a way she had never experienced.

_**So break in** _   
_**Break in** _

_**You let me fall apart without letting go** _

_**Then you pick up the pieces and you make me whole** _

She didn’t realize she was crying until she felt her face wet. She was just standing there frozen, trying to understand how there could be a song playing in her ears that described exactly how she felt. No one ever knew exactly how she felt. Sometimes she didn’t even know herself.

**_I didn't want to escape_ **   
**_From the bricks that I laid down_ **

The chorus played again, making her heart race this time, and she leaned on the counter, a few tears dropping onto the marble surface.

**_And take everything I have_ **

**_Until there is nothing left_ **   
**_Until it's just your voice in my head_ **

**_And when the lights come on_ **   
**_You see me as I am_ **

**_You're still inside me_ **

Eve was always in her head. Consuming her thoughts, her feelings, her entire being, and she was completely shattered at hearing someone else’s words resonate within her.

She took out her ear buds and left the kitchen, tears still flowing, made her way to the sofa, and dropped to her knees in front of Eve. “Eve,” she choked out, feeling like the room did not have enough air.

Eve could see Villanelle out of the corner of her eye, irritated at the fact she was about to be interrupted yet again, but when she heard her name choked out like that and saw the tears, her irritation vanished. This was not a regular interruption. “Baby, what’s wrong?” she asked, abandoning her computer to the coffee table and turning to give Villanelle her full focus.

“A song just came onto my Pandora,” Villanelle started and stopped, grasping at Eve’s shirt with both hands, clenching and unclenching fists around the fabric. “And it—it was my thoughts,” she tried to explain. “The words were my… feelings. In a way that I would not have been able to express them. And to hear my thoughts and feelings expressed in a way that other people could understand is very—it is very overwhelming and I do not know what to do.”

“Come here, honey,” Eve said, urging Villanelle into her lap and putting her arms around her lover. Villanelle’s head instantly went to her shoulder and she stroked her fingers through soft, satiny hair. “Do you know what the song was called?”

Villanelle sniffed and nodded. “Break In,” she said. “By a band called Halestorm.”

Eve raised an eyebrow. “You have Halestorm coming on your Pandora?” she asked with a grin. “Why don’t I get them on my Pandora?”

“Because you are older than me,” Villanelle teased, taking comfort in Eve’s interest in understanding.

“Oh wow,” Eve deadpanned. “Wow.”

“I know, it is hard for me to believe as well, but it is true. You are older.” Eve always managed to make her feel better somehow.

“Would you be okay if I looked up the song and had a listen?” It would be hard to help Villanelle come to terms with something if she was dealing in the abstract.

“Yes, of course,” Villanelle said, nodding and burrowing a little deeper into Eve’s protective embrace.

Eve seriously, seriously, seriously would never get enough of the fact that this badass killer looked to her for comfort. It got her off so hard but at the same time it made her humble and grateful. And she would never take Villanelle’s trust for granted or use it against her. She truly adored her lover in every single way a person could possibly adore someone. And she was so in love. She might be the one in charge, always on top, but that didn’t take up any space that was supposed to be filled with love. Being on top depended on being in love, but being in love did not depend on anything at all. She loved Villanelle unconditionally. The submission, the boundless trust to let her take control, those things were above and beyond. She appreciated them and they set her libido and her ego on fire, but she did not have to have them in order to love Villanelle.

She put her ear buds in and plugged them into her laptop, searching up the song, and as she listened to the words, her heart started racing. By the time the instrumentals faded away at the end, her eyes were filled with tears. She shut her laptop and took out the ear buds, holding Villanelle close. “Baby,” she whispered, her voice choked up. “You feel those things about me?”

Villanelle nodded, unable to speak. What if Eve was put off by it? What if it was too intense? What if she didn’t really trust Villanelle or believe her as much as she thought? Doubts were suddenly flying around like a wildfire in high wind.

Eve wasn’t even sure how to express her feelings now. As much as Villanelle had trouble, Eve didn’t really consider herself that well versed in good communication, either. “I’m probably gonna sound stupid, but that makes me feel so good,” she finally said. “I don’t know how to explain the feelings, exactly… powerful, I guess, important… special… honored. Lucky.” There, she’d hit the nail on the head. “I feel so, so lucky that this is how you feel about me. I think I must actually be the luckiest woman alive.”

Concerns alleviated, Villanelle felt her cheeks grow hot. “ _Eve_ ,” she whined and squirmed.

“It also makes me hot,” Eve told her. “But that’s a separate issue. And baby?”

“Hm?”

“Look at me for a minute.”

Villanelle dragged her head up with a lazy air, looking at Eve from under her lashes.

Eve stroked her unfractured cheek with the back of one finger. “I do see you, Oksana Astankova. And I see you, Villanelle. I see all of you and I love every part of you.”

Villanelle trembled. “You do leave me defenseless, Eve. Please don’t break my heart. I would not survive it.”

“You can survive anything,” Eve told her instantly. “But I have no plans to break your heart, not ever. Why would I break something that’s mine, hmm?”

Villanelle exhaled on instinct, and it was forceful, the air whooshing out and leaving her chest temporarily drawn in on itself. “Every part of me is yours,” she confessed, pulling in a deep breath in an attempt to re-inflate lungs that felt collapsed.

“And I hope you know that every part of me is yours, too,” Eve said softly, resting their foreheads together. “Including my heart.”

Villanelle managed to nod. “I am the lucky one.”

“How about we’re both lucky?” Eve suggested. When Villanelle nodded again, she pressed their lips together, careful not to hurt her lover. “I really miss kissing you.”

“You know I don’t care if it hurts, right? I’d rather kiss you,” Villanelle pouted.

“I know,” Eve sighed. “I can’t help being overprotective. You’re the first thing I’ve ever wanted to protect.”

“Thing?” Villanelle’s eyebrows shot up.

“Thing or person?” Eve tried. “Come on… you want a tattoo that says ‘Eve’s property’, remember?”

“You’ve got me there,” Villanelle said, wiggling on Eve’s lap and pressing herself down against Eve’s thighs.

“Touch yourself,” Eve said, not sure where the abrupt subject change had come from, but once the words left her mouth she knew she would not be satisfied until it happened.

Villanelle moaned, surprised but very, very pleased at the sudden turn of events. “Right here?”

Eve stood up with Villanelle in her arms, grinning when her lover’s legs wrapped around her waist. She carried Ville to the bedroom and laid her down, grabbing hold of her ridiculously expensive pajama pants and tugging them down with her ridiculously expensive underwear, leaving both around her knees. She perched herself next to her lover’s thighs so she could see what she wanted to see and still be able to look at Ville’s face.

The waist of her pajamas was elastic, so there was a bit of give, but Villanelle did not like having her movements restricted. She pushed her lower lip out in a pathetic version of a pout and fluttered her eyelashes up at Eve. “I want to spread my legs for you,” she said.

“First I want you to do it like this for a little,” Eve replied, holding her gaze. “Okay?”

Villanelle bit her lip and nodded, sliding one hand up under her pajama top to play with her nipples and the other down over her stomach, stroking sensually for Eve’s benefit. She gave a little pinch and arched her back, squirming around a little, staring at Eve.

Eve chuckled and shook her head, her own gaze going between Ville’s hand and her face. “Are you wet, baby?”

“Mhmm…”

“Do you want to touch yourself?”

“Mhmm…”

“What are you waiting for?”

“Not sure,” Villanelle said, her breathing getting a little heavy.

“Are you doing that to tease me?”

“No,” came the softest reply.

Eve loved these soft moments as much as she loved the sharp ones. “Are you doing that so I’ll take your pants off?”

“No.” Just as soft.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Eve asked gently, stroking the right side of Villanelle’s face.

“Nothing,” Villanelle breathed. “I don’t want it to be over yet.”

“Who says it’ll be over after you come?” Eve kept stroking her face, then cupped her cheek and stroked with just her thumb. “How do you know I don’t plan to have you touch yourself all night?”

Excitement shimmered in Villanelle’s soft expression. “Will you tell me what to do?”

“Would you like that?”

“Yes,” Villanelle said.

“Can you ask nicely?”

“Please?” Villanelle added.

“Good girl,” Eve praised her, watching her shiver. “Slide your hand lower and just feel how wet you are. And then I want you to use a full sentence and tell me why you’re so wet, baby.”

Villanelle groaned and put her hand between her legs, her fingers coated instantly with slick. “I am so wet because of you, Eve, because you want to watch me touch myself and because you are so beautiful. And because you love me.”

Eve pushed her shirt up a little and rubbed circles over her lower belly. “Put one finger inside, just a little,” she said, voice darkening. “Then take it back out.”

Villanelle did as she was told, dipping her middle finger inside herself to the first knuckle, then taking it back out before she could enjoy the feeling.

“How was that, baby?” Eve hummed.

“Like a ghost,” Villanelle whimpered.

“Do you need more?”

Villanelle was a quick learner. “May I please have more?”

Eve purred in appreciation. “Smart girl. Yes, you may. Put your finger back inside, all the way in.”

Villanelle particularly enjoyed being told she was smart and a wave of fresh heat surged between her legs. She pushed her middle finger back in, hard and deep, hips jerking at the intrusion.

Eve noted the reaction and licked her lips, then pulled her lower one between her teeth. She flattened her palm on Villanelle’s belly and pressed down firmly. “So smart,” she gushed. “So smart and so good for me…”

Villanelle’s hips were seeking more, but she didn’t move her hand without being told. The pressure of Eve’s palm on her belly was sublime. She whined at the praise, grabbing a fistful of Liliana Rizzari with her free hand. Ooh, that was nice. So soft and sleek and cool, compared to the hard messy heat under her other hand. “Thank you,” she whined a little. “I am trying to be good.”

“You’re very good,” Eve promised. “I am so proud of you, baby. You can make yourself come now.”

Villanelle moaned quietly with relief and expertly brought herself off within a minute, working her finger inside and moving her other hand to her clit. She had done it a thousand times; it was second nature and it was easy on a bad day. This, this was a very good day and it was almost instantaneous. She was so turned on already that the barest press of her fingers on her clit sent her over the edge. “Eve,” she called as she arched into the pleasure, tightening her thighs to draw it out.

Eve watched, enraptured, every part of her own body throbbing. She watched Villanelle’s face as she dropped over, and the intense concentration that was there for a split second morphed into bliss when Villanelle’s orgasm peaked. She let her lover come down and then laid beside her, hugging her close. “You are so goddamn fucking hot it should be criminal,” she complained.

Villanelle was almost too spent to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “It’s the least criminal thing about me, don’t you think?” she somehow managed to say. Her pulse was still fluttering but it was easy to relax in Eve’s arms.

“I don’t know. It might actually be the most criminal thing about you,” Eve said with a grin. “I love you, Ville. I’m not sure how we got to this point but here we are, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you so much that it hurts sometimes.”

“Sometimes it hurts me too,” Villanelle confessed, “how much I love you. I would not be okay without you, Eve.”

Eve didn’t argue with her this time, she just held her closer. “I—I wouldn’t be okay without you, either.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of a roller coaster of emotions and idk where it came from, it just happened.

“Ville, are you ready?” Eve called into the bedroom as she shut the apartment door behind her. Two weeks had passed and Villanelle was mostly as good as new. The only bruises left were faint ones around her healing cheekbone, and Eve had been putting arnica on her cuts every night so the ones on her face wouldn’t scar.

All in all, the recovery period was going very well. Villanelle had been surprisingly well behaved about taking it easy, although maybe it wasn’t that surprising considering that Eve kept rewarding her with sex. Tonight there was an informal office party for everyone who had been working on Dasha’s case. A celebratory drinks and dancing type thing that Elena had organized, waiting to schedule it until Eve told her Villanelle could leave the apartment.

“Eve, you called me half an hour ago to tell me we are going to a party!” Villanelle yelled from the bedroom. “Of course I am not ready! I just finished showering! My hair is not even dry!”

“Wear one of your wigs,” Eve suggested, appearing in the doorway to the bedroom and leaning on the frame.

Villanelle turned wide eyes on her. “You cannot put a wig on over wet hair! Who _are_ you, Eve?!”

“An idiot, apparently,” Eve snorted. “I’m guessing you can’t just throw your hair up in one of those cute messy buns and leave it wet?”

Villanelle actually gagged. “That is it. I am staying home.”

Eve knew she didn’t mean it and walked over to give her a kiss. “Okay, okay. Dry your hair and fix it up, just hurry.”

Villanelle got out the blow dryer and twenty minutes later her hair was dry and pulled into two French braids that curled and traveled back up to the top of her head. She knew Eve loved that style.

Eve ran out to grab a bottle of wine while Villanelle finished getting ready, and when she returned to the apartment and saw the hairdo she grinned. “I love that style.”

Villanelle looked over her shoulder from where she was ransacking her closet. “I know.” She grabbed out a smart-looking gray tailored pantsuit and paired it with a plain yellow blouse, dabbed on some of her ‘power’ perfume and quickly made up her face.

“I have the biggest diva in the world for a girlfriend,” Eve lamented as she watched Villanelle put away her mascara, the last thing standing between them and the party. “You look amazing, baby.”

“Mm. Thank you. Okay, I am ready.”

***

They drank a little and danced a lot, talked to people a little and danced some more. Villanelle even said thank you to Elena without Eve prompting her to, and she was pretty sure the smile on her face was stupidly proud. But then… Villanelle continued.

“For the flogger, I mean.”

Eve’s smile dropped and she groaned. “You are something else,” she said, nudging her girlfriend’s hip. “I’m going to get another drink.”

It took a minute to get the bartender’s attention, and when she finally had her drink she was about to throw back a swallow when she heard a commotion across the room, knowing it was Ville without even having to look. “Fuck.” She put down her drink and hurried over just in time to see Villanelle take down one of the guys from communications and start pummeling him in the face.

Without waiting for anyone else to try to intervene, Eve literally reached down and dragged Villanelle to her feet by the back of her collar.

Villanelle roared, her face red with fury, and tried to escape Eve’s hold. “He called you a bitch, Eve!”

Eve backed up a step while someone else moved in to help the communications guy. “I don’t care what he did, you are on your way to a spanking,” she hissed into Villanelle’s ear.

Villanelle’s brain twitched, the thought of Eve spanking her in front of all these people turning her on so bad she could hardly stand it. What was it about that? Fuck! She tried again to get out of Eve’s hold, fully intending to end the life of anyone who spoke badly about her girlfriend, MI6 or not.

A little surprised that her warning had no effect, Eve moved swiftly to the bar and pressed Villanelle against it, landing a firm smack to the seat of her trousers. When Villanelle struggled, she spanked her again. People were starting to look.

Villanelle wanted more. More, more, more of everything. More of Eve, more spanking, more warnings hissed in her ear, more being dragged around by her collar, just _more_. “I am going to kill him, Eve.” She got another smack. Nostrils flared, she leaned forward a little over the bar. “I am going to wring his neck until his eyes bulge out.” Eve spanked her again. It wasn’t nearly enough. “Are people watching?”

“Yes.”

God, she was so wet. “After he is dead, I will take his body and—”

“You’re doing this on purpose.” How had Eve not seen that sooner? “You’re manipulating me.”

“Only after you threatened to spank me,” Villanelle swore. “I could not get past the idea of it. Are you angry?”

Eve took a few measured breaths, trying to gauge if she was, in fact, angry. She probably should be, but she wasn’t, really. “No,” she decided. “But I’m not spanking you anymore until we get home. I’m not rewarding bad behavior.”

Villanelle was disappointed partly, but at least Eve was not angry with her. “Everyone has already seen, no? They know that you are a bossy pants and that I am your little girl.”

“So you got what you wanted. Congratulations.”

“Please do not be upset.”

“It’s okay, baby,” Eve said with a sigh, rubbing Villanelle’s back. “I know we’re different.”

“Different from each other?” Villanelle asked, her voice catching.

“Different from other people,” Eve clarified. “I’m not upset. But I don’t like being manipulated, Ville. Please try not to do that.”

“I am sorry,” Villanelle said, and she meant it. “It was not on purpose.”

“I know. I’ll punish you at home and make you regret it. But do you know what your real, actual, true punishment is going to be?”

Villanelle did not like the sound of that and one side of her face started to scrunch up.

“We are staying until the absolute, complete, irrefutable end of this party.”

Villanelle thought she was going to throw up.

***

Not for the first time, Eve glanced over at her pouting lover and chuckled to herself before turning back to her conversation with Elena. “I really want to go home right now, but I’m making her stay to the end,” she told Elena.

“You are so good with her,” Elena marveled. “How did you get the balls to drag a killer off of someone and smack her arse in the middle of a roomful of people?”

Eve snickered, stirring her water with her straw. “She liked the ass smacking.”

Elena rolled her eyes. “Of course she did. You two are made for each other, you know that?”

Eve’s heart skipped a beat and a warm flush settled in her chest. “Yeah,” she said, glancing over at Villanelle yet again, who was still sitting in a chair against one wall with her knees drawn up to her chest, arms around her shins, and her feet crossed at the ankles, pouting. “I should stop torturing her and take her home.”

“I thought you just said you were making her stay until the end of the party?” Elena asked, eyes boring into Eve’s. “Have you gone soft?”

“Look at her, Elena.”

Elena turned her head to look and turned back quickly with a hand over her mouth. “That’s adorable.”

“She does the most adorable things sometimes that I think I’m losing my mind.”

“I mean… that really is absolutely fucking adorable,” Elena continued to agree.

“And then something will just snap and she’ll be angry, or sad, or funny. Sometimes I can see it coming and sometimes I’m blindsided.”

“And _always_ you’re smitten,” Elena said with a grin.

“Yes, always that.”

“Go on then. Go get your girl.”

“Love you.”

“You too.”

Eve slowly made her way over to Villanelle and stood in front of her lover’s chair. “You have been sitting here sulking for two hours,” she said.

Villanelle looked up at her, lower lip sliding out just a little. “Because I am so—”

Eve interrupted with a finger over her lips. “Shh. I’m not complaining, baby, I’m actually really proud of you.”

Villanelle’s eyebrows shot up. “You are?” Eve was proud of her for sulking?

“Yeah, I am. Did you _hear_ how long I said you’ve been sitting here? Two hours, baby. Letting me socialize for _two hours_ while you’re so bored.” Villanelle was looking up at her with so much adoration in her eyes that Eve almost forgot how to function.

“I will sit here for two more hours if you will be proud of me,” Villanelle said with a content sort of sigh.

“No,” Eve said, shaking her head. “You’ve been punished enough. Let’s go home, baby.”

“Really?” Villanelle jumped up out of her chair with wide eyes and a very excited grin.

Eve was struck once again by the sudden change, and it just made her love Villanelle even more. “God, I love you.”

Villanelle pressed close to Eve and snuck a kiss to her jaw. “I love you too. Thank you for letting me out of punishment early…”

“You still want to be spanked when we get home?” Eve checked in as they headed for the doors.

“Mmm, yes please.”

“Excellent.”

***

They barely made it in the door before Eve had Villanelle pressed up against it face first with her trousers down, her palm connecting solidly with Ville’s panty-clad backside over and over and over again until Villanelle groaned and became restless.

“More,” she gasped. “Please.”

“Do you want the belt?”

“No, I—” Villanelle’s face went hot and she was glad she was staring at the door. “I was looking on the internet a few times and some people use a hairbrush to spank their partners, Eve. I want to go over your lap. Please.”

Eve almost fell over. Not only had Villanelle just expressed what she wanted in a clear and concise manner, but her lover had been researching spanking online? Probably because she had nothing else to do while stuck at home recovering, but... wow. “Yeah,” she said quickly before her runaway thoughts could make her quiet too long and make Villanelle regret asking. “Yeah. Take off your clothes and go in the bedroom, baby. I’ll get my hairbrush.”

Villanelle’s fingers curled against the door, her stomach twisting at the directive. She struggled to get her shoes off with her pants already down around her ankles, but somehow managed, kicking the whole mess out of her way, and stripped out of her jacket, blouse and bra, leaving just her panties. Eve might want to pull those down herself. Nerves flaring, she went into the bedroom and stood next to the foot of the bed, hands clasped anxiously, shifting her weight every few seconds.

Eve tried to breathe as she picked up her hairbrush, staring at it, turning it around in her hand, getting a feel for it. Why was it so hot, Villanelle wanting this? She had no idea, but no complaints, either. She ran her free hand through her hair half out of nerves and half to call it to some semblance of order, then stepped out of the bathroom and walked to Villanelle, sliding an arm around her waist. “Are you sure, baby? This looks like it’s really gonna hurt.”

“Please, Eve,” Villanelle whimpered, eyes torn between Eve’s face and the imposing wooden hairbrush.

“If you ask me to stop, I’ll stop,” Eve told her, catching and holding her gaze.

“I _want_ to ask you to stop,” Villanelle said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I want to _beg_ you to stop. But I will use my safe word if I _need_ you to stop.”

Holy fucking Christ. On a cracker. Eve was already soaked. “Are you trying to kill me, Ville?” she croaked, arm tightening around Villanelle’s waist. “We haven’t even started and you’ve already got me on fire.”

“Me too,” Villanelle confessed. “Please, Eve...”

Right. No more stalling. Eve sat down on the edge of the bed and moved back just a little so Villanelle could fit across her lap without being unbalanced. “Get over my lap.” Her voice had gone from lover to disciplinarian and she watched Villanelle shudder.

Villanelle knelt on the bed and carefully laid herself across Eve’s lap, turning so her right cheek was against the mattress. She was basically fine but she still wasn’t allowed to have any pressure on the left. “I’m sorry,” she whined. “I should have been good...”

“Yeah, you should’ve been,” Eve said in a clipped tone, resting a hand on Villanelle’s back while she brought the hairbrush to rest against the seat of yellow silk panties.

“Don’t spank me, okay? I can—”

Eve lifted the brush and smacked it against one cheek with moderate strength.

Villanelle yelped. “Wait!” she cried. “I will behave, I promise!” The sting was different than Eve’s hand or the belt. Heavier. She liked it right away. And she really liked promising to behave and then getting spanked anyway. She jumped at the second swat, kicking her feet. “I said I will behave!”

Eve wondered if Ville realized she was pressing her ass up the tiniest bit. “I hope you’ll behave, but you’re still getting punished for not behaving tonight.” She landed the brush twice in a row, a little more firmly.

“Ow, stop!” Villanelle complained, squirming on Eve’s lap but not quite trying to leave. It was so good... Eve was so perfect.

“You don’t get to decide when I stop, not after the stunt you pulled, little miss,” Eve scolded, and then she decided to really let Villanelle know what she was in for, peppering her ass with a barrage of smacks that never landed in the same place twice, covering both cheeks from the middle down to the tops of her thighs.

Villanelle shrieked and fisted the comforter, trying to arch away from the deliciously painful assault. Her ass was on fire now, throbbing. But she never wanted it to stop.

Eve kept that up for a few minutes, having to wrangle Villanelle back across her lap when she squirmed too far away. “Hold still. You earned this punishment and you promised to behave, didn’t you?”

Villanelle just growled at her, kicking her feet in defiance, and kept trying to get away.

Eve realized Villanelle was actually going to make her work for it, and she wrapped an arm around her lover’s waist, using her superior leverage to hold the girl in place. She set down the brush long enough to pull down Ville’s panties, stifling a groan at how red her skin was already, and picked the brush back up, cracking it extra hard for the trouble.

The restraining arm, the loss of her panties and the harder strike combined to take a toll and Villanelle felt tears form in her eyes. She renewed her struggle, needing this release, and when Eve lit into her with smack after smack after unrelenting smack, she burst into tears. “Stop, stop, please stop!” she cried, pressing her hips down against Eve’s thigh with every few blows, knowing she was probably going to ruin her lover’s pants. “I’ll be good, I’ll be good, no, _please_!” she yelled. She needed Eve to take her a little further. To strip her control a little further. To break her down a little further, and then help her build back up.

Eve wasn’t sure why Villanelle wanted it so harsh right now, but she would always give her lover what she needed first and ask questions later – it brought them closer together and she cherished it. She cherished Villanelle’s unwavering trust in her to take her places that no one else could ever understand. And she trusted Villanelle. As hard as it was to hurt her when she was begging for it to stop, Eve knew her lover was guiding this scene and she trusted her to safeword when it was too much. So she blistered her lover’s ass with that hairbrush, listening to her scream and cry and beg. 

Finally, _finally_ , Villanelle went limp over Eve’s lap, sobbing, the word tumbling out amidst a sea of pain. “ _Red_.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess this chapter would be considered fluffy? Not really sure.

Eve set the brush aside and rubbed Villanelle’s back, leaning over to kiss her head. “Good girl, baby, I’m right here,” she said, keeping her voice quiet.

“Hold me, please,” Villanelle sobbed, not sure how to move to make it happen, so she just said it and trusted Eve to figure it out.

“Yes, baby girl, okay,” Eve said, helping Ville onto her knees and then moving them both up toward the pillows to lie down, never breaking contact. Once they were lying down she pulled Villanelle into her arms and held her tight. “Is this good?”

Villanelle could only nod as she cried, her hands wrapped around Eve’s shirt and her face buried in Eve’s chest.

“Okay, I’m here, and we can stay like this all night,” Eve said, and then dropped her voice to a soothing hum, though she wasn’t sure what melody she was humming. It didn’t matter, because Villanelle seemed to like it.

It took her a long time to calm down, because once the dam breaks it’s hard to board it back up, but finally her tears slowed and she was just clinging to Eve, sniffling.

Eve kept humming even after Ville calmed down, and she was going to keep humming until her lover wanted to talk. She would do whatever Villanelle needed.

Villanelle had no idea how to express what was going on with her. How things escalated so quickly for her. One minute she was turned on, loving the fact that Eve spanked her in front of their colleagues, and then it changed into something more serious, and then she needed with all of her being to be pushed to her absolute limits. And she didn’t know why. “I am so frustrated with myself!” she said with a growl.

Eve hadn’t expected that to be the first thing she heard and concern weighed heavy. “Why, baby?”

“Because I do not know how to explain anything at all!” Villanelle shouted.

Eve put a finger under her chin and tugged lightly. “Look at me, Ville.” When she got compliance she smiled. “You don’t have to explain anything at all,” she said. “It’s perfectly okay not to know what to say or how to say it. I promise you, it’s okay.”

“But—”

“Whether the words come to you in an hour, a week, or never, it’s okay, baby. Everyone goes through this sometimes.”

“But you deserve to know why I wanted—”

“Stop right there,” Eve told her. “What I deserve is exactly what I have. A partner that loves me and trusts me unconditionally. There will come a time when I need something from you and have no idea how to explain why. And I know that you will give it to me without question, and you would never be upset with me for not being able to tell you why.”

Villanelle swiped at her eyes and nodded. “That’s true.”

“If there comes a moment you feel like you’re able to explain and you still want to, then I will be here to listen. But don’t think you ever have to. You needed something, you asked for it, and I gave it to you. That’s beautiful to me.”

Villanelle nodded again, the tangled string cutting into her chest loosening a little. “To me too,” she whispered.

“I’m proud of you for using your safe word,” Eve said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. “That’s hard to do.”

“I knew what I had asked of you, so I knew my safe word was the only way out,” Villanelle confessed.

“Do you think the spanking fulfilled whatever need it was that you had?”

“Yes.” Villanelle had no doubt about that.

“Good. I’d call that a successful evening, then.”

“I needed you to push me to my limit because I needed to know that you would stop when I reached it,” Villanelle said suddenly, the realization having dawned with no warning. “My heart knew and my body knew but my brain needed to know. I wanted you in control of my pain while I begged you to stop because I wanted to feel helpless. Not just helpless... helpless against you. I needed to feel truly helpless against you, at least for a little while, because I never want to hurt you.”

Eve was astounded at Villanelle’s continuing emotional evolution and she listened quietly, hanging on every word. What Villanelle said last confused her, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment so she stayed quiet and waited to see if Villanelle was going to be able to express any more.

The confusion in Eve’s eyes made her want to give up and she almost started crying again, but Eve was just being so patient and not trying to rush her, so she tried again. “You know that my first instinct is always to hurt people when I am upset.”

Eve nodded, staying quiet.

“I needed to feel helpless against you because... I don’t want my first instinct to be to hurt you when I am upset. I want my first instinct to be to let you help me.”

Everything was mind-blowingly clear for Eve in that instant and her breath rushed out, her arms tightening around Villanelle. “I understand, baby.”

Villanelle breathed a sigh of relief, and with that off her chest, exhaustion crept in and she curled closer into Eve, closing her eyes. “Will you hold me while I sleep?”

Eve nuzzled her face against the top of Ville’s head. “All night long.”

***

Villanelle only slept for a few hours and woke in the middle of the night, still in Eve’s arms, trying to figure out the problem.

Well, the problem was her ass. Fuck, it hurt. Sooooo bad. “Eve,” she whined. “Eve!”

Eve grumbled and didn’t wake up.

Villanelle squirmed and kicked her feet. “Eve!” she said louder.

Eve grumbled again and finally squinted one eye open. “Can I help you?” she asked like a disgruntled fast food employee.

“I cannot sleep because my ass hurts too much,” Villanelle informed her.

“I don’t know what you think I can do about that,” Eve huffed.

“You can rub it for me,” Villanelle suggested. “It is awkward for me to reach and besides, it does not feel the same when you try to rub away your own pain.”

“Are you sure you want me to touch it?” Eve asked, shifting onto her side a little more and putting a hand on Villanelle’s lower back. “You don’t think that’ll make it worse?”

“I don’t think anything could make it worse than it is,” Villanelle said with a frown. “Please, will you rub?”

The innocent eyes always got her. She resigned herself to being awake and kissed Ville’s forehead, carefully sliding her hand further down and over the curve of her lover’s backside. She froze when Villanelle whimpered. “Maybe I should get some ice instead.”

“No.” Villanelle pouted. “Please? I just want to feel your hand.”

Eve nodded and slipped lower, palm smoothing across very heated skin. “Oh God, it’s still really warm,” she said, keeping her touch light as she started to rub back and forth, up and down, across both cheeks.

“That feels so nice, Eve, thank you,” Villanelle said softly, closing her eyes.

“Do you want a cool bath, Oksana?” Eve asked after a few minutes of rubbing.

Villanelle’s heart skipped and she found herself nodding eagerly. “Yes, please, Mommy.”

“Stay here and rest, and I’ll go run you a bath. Do you want bubbles?”

Villanelle’s lips pulled into a tight, excited line and she gave an exaggerated nod.

“Bubbles it is,” Eve acknowledged, then disappeared into the bathroom and turned on the tap. She made it cool but not cold, to be soothing, not shocking, and she put in a shit ton of bubbles. When the tub was about halfway full she called to Villanelle. “Okay, come get in, baby.”

Villanelle wiggled her panties the rest of the way down and kicked them off, then padded into the bathroom and let Eve hold her hand so she didn’t slip getting into the bath. She settled down and the cool water was immediately soothing on her overheated bottom. “Thank you, Mommy.”

“Of course, baby girl.” Eve kissed her forehead and when the water was high enough she turned off the tap. “Is this enough bubbles to make you happy?”

“You always make me happy,” Villanelle said, slapping down a few of the bubbles in question. “But I like the bubbles.” She scooped some up and dabbed them across Eve’s chin and above Eve’s mouth. “Look, you’re Daddy,” she laughed.

Eve laughed too, at first, and then they both just stared at each other. “We’re gonna visit that another time,” she decided quickly, wiping the bubblestache and beard away. “I’ll get soap in my mouth, yuck.” She rinsed her hand in the bath to get the bubbles off, but since there were so many, that basically did nothing.

Villanelle made a disgusted face while she tried to let her heart stop racing. “It tastes bad?”

“Yes, it tastes bad,” Eve said. “Reeeeeeally bad.”

Villanelle licked a tiny bubble off the tip of her finger and that disgusted face returned as she started spitting. “You are right, Mommy, that is really bad.”

Eve couldn’t help laughing. “Why did you do that, baby girl?”

Villanelle shrugged and started swirling her hands through the bubbles.

Eve just watched her for awhile with a stupid grin on her face, then grabbed a wash cloth and dipped it into the water. She lathered it with soap and took her time being extra gentle washing Villanelle’s body. “Should we wash your hair too?”

Villanelle made a face. “Do we have to?”

Eve kissed the tip of her nose. “Nope. You washed it this afternoon, so you’re good.”

“I don’t want to get out yet,” Villanelle said, biting her lip. “The water feels good where you spanked me, Mommy.”

A little pang of guilt stabbed Eve in the chest even though there was really no reason for it. Villanelle was just so honestly childlike in these moments that any mention of hurting made Eve’s heart ache. She reached out to run her finger down the side of Ville’s face. “Are you mad at me?”

Villanelle’s eyes went a little wide. “No, Mommy, I love you.”

Her lover’s words were reassuring to hear even though she knew Villanelle wasn’t mad. “I love you too, baby girl. I’m sorry it hurts.”

“It’s supposed to hurt, Mommy. I was naughty.”

“That’s true, but it’s still hard for Mommy to know you’re hurting,” Eve confessed, pressing her lips to the top of Villanelle’s head and just keeping them there.

Villanelle soaked in the comfort and the cool water, enjoying both in equal measures. “You take such good care of me, Eve,” she whispered.

Eve ran her lips down the side of Villanelle’s face and kissed her. “And I will _always_. I hope you know that, Ville.”

“I do,” Villanelle nodded. “I will always take care of you too.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really short because I was on the phone for four and a half hours and now it's 5 am and I'm fucking tired D= D= D=====

They snuggled up on the sofa with a fuzzy blanket and Eve put a movie on to distract Villanelle from the pain in her ass, which she was bringing up approximately once every three and a half minutes.

Villanelle made it about five minutes into the movie and whined again, squirming around.

“Baby,” Eve said with a gentle laugh. “I’m not gonna be able to spank you that hard again if you can’t handle the aftereffects.”

Villanelle looked wounded.

“Eve, how can you say that? I am just whining a little... and maybe complaining some... and moving around a little... This does not mean I can’t handle it.”

Eve’s laugh escalated and she squeezed Villanelle, kissing the top of her head.

There was silence for a while and then Villanelle broke it, but not to complain about her ass. “Eve?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you...” She wasn’t sure exactly how to ask what she wanted to ask. These things were so _difficult_. “Am I—you—you make me feel so good, all of the time, but after you touch me I never get to touch you. I know I am not a normal person, but this does not seem normal, for one partner to do all of the touching.”

Eve opened her mouth to give a reason and realized that she didn’t have one; she had never actually noticed it. “Jesus,” she said instead. “You’re right.”

Villanelle’s eyebrows shot up. “You were not aware of this, Eve? How is it possible to not notice when you don’t have an orgasm? I would definitely always notice that.”

Eve snorted. “I bet you would.” She squeezed Ville tighter and then loosened her hold so she could run her fingers through her lover’s hair. “Tell you what. When we revisit the Daddy thing I’ll let you suck my cock.”

Villanelle fell off the couch.

“Ah! What are you trying to do to me, Eve?!” she yelled with a growl, climbing back up and towering over Eve on her knees.

“Wellllll... I was trying to make you fall off the couch. Mission accomplished.”

“You are an asshole, Eve.”

“I am _such_ an asshole,” Eve said, echoing Villanelle’s words from another time. “But let’s be real. You love that about me.”

“Ohh, you think you are so clever,” Villanelle mock laughed, leaning down to put her lips close to Eve’s ear. “But you will not be so quick to think of such clever things to say when my mouth is wrapped around Daddy’s cock...”

Eve’s hips jerked. “Jesus Christ,” she muttered, grabbing a handful of Villanelle’s hair. She gave a punishing tug and then bit her girlfriend on the jaw. “Where’s my computer?”

“Your _computer_?” Villanelle nearly shrieked. “Right now?”

“You want me to order a cock, don’t you?”

“Oh. Yes. Very much so.” The petulance was gone and she got out of the way so Eve could get up.

Eve was just glad that Villanelle hadn’t suggested using one she already had, because the thought of her girlfriend fucking someone else with a strap-on wasn’t—She stopped walking and Villanelle bumped into her.

“Eve?”

Eve turned around, teeth worrying her lower lip. “Ville... are you still having sex with other people?”

Villanelle stared at her. She didn’t think she was particularly easy to surprise and Eve had done it twice in five minutes. “I—well, no,” she said, suddenly wondering if she was supposed to be. “Are you?”

“God no.”

“So you don’t want me to, right? Am I getting that right?”

“No, I don’t want you to, but I wouldn’t take away your choice,” Eve said, worrying again as she said it but not wanting Villanelle to feel like she was trying to control her.

Villanelle’s mouth twitched into a lopsided grin and she moved forward, taking Eve’s hands. “You’re stupid,” she whispered.

“Thanks,” Eve replied, exhaling a tense breath.

“I do not want anyone else, _ever_.”

A weight lifted from Eve’s shoulders that had only just settled there and she relaxed. “Me either.”

“Good, because I would have to kill anyone else you sleep with.”

“What good would that do you? Wouldn’t it make more sense just to kill _me_?”

“No. Why would I kill you when you are the one I want? Really, Eve, what kind of logic do you use? You need an upgrade.”

Ten minutes later they were arguing over which cock to buy. Villanelle wanted something sparkly and expensive; Eve wanted something less flashy. “Purple sparkles disappearing down your throat is not sexy,” Eve argued.

“You think I am going to deep throat you?” Villanelle asked, raising an eyebrow, a smirk on her lips.

Eve choked a little and laughed, but when the laughter died down she nodded. “Yeah. I do. The only question is whether it’ll be before or after I’ve fucked you.”

Villanelle’s dimples showed. “Por qué no los dos?”

Eve snorted and made a shrill kind of sound, shaking her head. “No, no, no, you can’t use that commercial for something like this.”

“I can do whatever I want.”

“Tell that to your ass.”

Villanelle scowled.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is utter filth. It's really fucking filthy, pure filth, Daddy kink and strap-on blow job and just filth. So if you are only here for the sweet/sexy/loving/funny/dramatic parts of this story, plz to be skipping this chapter. Did I mention it was filth? Because it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> моя маленькая звездочка - my little star

Eve wouldn’t let Villanelle get the mail because she didn’t want her girlfriend to know when their purchase arrived – they had settled for purple without sparkles – because she knew Villanelle would be whining for her to use it, and she had no intention of using it while Ville couldn’t even sit down.

So when it did arrive two days after ordering it, she hid it. And she waited several more days, a plan forming. Villanelle had a job on Wednesday, which was yet another two days away, and Eve was going to surprise her when she got home.

***

As soon as Villanelle left on Wednesday morning, Eve went to work early so she could leave early. Nothing was really doing at the office lately anyway, so no one would care. Villanelle was the only one murdering people of note at the moment, and she was on their side, so win/win for Eve.

She left an hour after lunch and stopped to buy a suit on the way home. It wasn’t tailored like all of Ville’s were, but it looked pretty damn good, she had to say. She’d gone with simple black trousers and jacket over a white oxford blouse, then grabbed a pair of low-heeled black boots that looked rather intimidating and would add much to the ensemble.

Once she got home – er, to Ville’s apartment – she washed the toy, put on the harness under a pair of boxer briefs, and chose to go braless. She got into the suit and slicked her hair back into a bun at the nape of her neck, took one last look in the mirror to gauge the overall picture she would present, and grinned. Villanelle was going to freak out.

She lounged and watched tv, careful not to wrinkle her clothes, until Villanelle texted that she would be home in half an hour. Good thing today’s job was local because Eve didn’t want to wait very long for Ville to get home.

_Did the job go okay, baby?_

Villanelle sent back a bloody knife emoji and a wink, so Eve took that as a yes.

***

“Oh my _GOD_!” Villanelle was saying as she jerked open the apartment door and slammed it behind her. “There was this asshole on the metro that—” She stopped talking when she noticed Eve standing in the living room, her heart thudding in her chest as she automatically dropped down to her knees at the sight. _Holy_. _Fuck_. Was she drooling? She thought she was drooling. She was pretty sure she could feel drool. Was she supposed to say something? What was she supposed to say? She didn’t think she had any air to speak with.

Well that was an even better reaction than Eve had been expecting, and she put a smirk on her face as she walked forward, sliding a hand into Villanelle’s hair and gently plucking out the flowers laced into her braid. Her other hand went to the button of her suit trousers. “Did you miss me?”

Villanelle was still speechless when Eve approached her and started taking flowers out of her hair. She saw them drift to the floor out of the corner of her eye, one at a time, and then Eve was speaking to her and she needed to answer. Her throat was dry. She forced in a breath and tilted her eyes up to Eve’s face, feeling the flush already on her own cheeks. “Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, a bolt of electricity slamming her between the legs.

It was hot when they were teasing each other about it, but hearing Villanelle say it in all seriousness was something _else_. She wasn’t sure anything had ever compared or would ever compare. That familiar surge of power coiled in her gut and when she was finished deflowering Villanelle’s hair she grabbed the base of the French braid and squeezed. “I missed you too, моя маленькая звездочка,” she said in a low, husky voice.

Villanelle’s hands came up to Eve’s trousers, fingers shaking as she tried to take over the task of undoing them. “Please, Daddy, let me show you how much I missed you,” she breathed, Eve’s use of the foreign term of endearment hitting her in places she didn’t even know existed. Her job was forgotten; the incident on the metro was forgotten; everything outside of this moment, this exchange, was forgotten.

“Hm,” Eve hummed, thoughtful. “Are you sure you missed me? I think maybe you just missed my cock.”

Villanelle made a strangled sound in the back of her throat and jerked down Eve’s zipper. “Both, Daddy, I missed both... Please can I have it?” Once she got the trousers down she stared at the boxer briefs with wide eyes. Eve was going to fucking kill her dead. This was how she was going to die, she knew it. Death by Eve in a suit and boxer briefs. The bulge was very obvious and her mouth watered as she stared.

“Are you going to treat it nicely?”

“Yes, Daddy, I will,” Villanelle swore, clawing at the front of Eve’s thighs so she didn’t just take what she wanted and get in trouble. “I will put it in my mouth and—as far as I can, and—” She trailed off into a sharp keening noise at being so _close_ and still not having it.

One side of Eve’s mouth quirked up and she reached into her underwear with the hand that wasn’t in Ville’s hair, pulling the cock out through the flap in the front. She didn’t say anything, just guided the tip to Villanelle’s lips and let go.

Villanelle was trembling all over and she parted her lips, sliding her head forward to take in as much as she could fit. It was big, but it was okay, she did not have to stretch too much so her jaw would not get sore too quickly.

She pulled back and worked the tip, licking and sucking and biting gently, and then slid her head forward again. When she was met with a firm thrust of Eve’s hips her gag reflex triggered and she started to pull back, but Eve squeezed her braid hard and said “don’t.”

So she let it gag her until the reflex settled, and then Eve was in her mouth and in her throat and _everywhere_ , and her eyes were watering with the effort not to choke but Eve’s groan was worth it, and the way Eve threw her head back was worth it, and Villanelle was overwhelmed like Eve could really _feel_ it. Could feel her lips; her teeth; her tongue; her throat, tight around the cock, tighter when she tried to swallow.

Eve may not have been able to feel it exactly, but it was enough to _know_ , to know what Villanelle was doing, and she could _imagine_ the pleasure. And it was definitely doing things to her, how hard Villanelle was working, just for her, and those watery eyes and the little sounds she kept making and the look on her face. “моя маленькая звездочка,” she said again, and she had been practicing those words for almost a week to get them right, and she loved the way Villanelle hollowed her cheeks when she said it.

Villanelle was finally able to move a little, sliding back and forward until she couldn’t take it in her throat any longer and she backed off to the tip, taking a huge, grateful breath with an unobstructed airway. “Daddy,” she whispered, eyes rolling back a little. “Please. I need you.”

Eve tugged her to her feet with the hand in her braid and bent her over the arm of the sofa, rucking up her dress. “Get your panties down,” she demanded, her voice tight and hot.

Villanelle scrambled to get them down and when they wouldn’t cooperate she tore them off, dropping the remnants on the floor and bracing her hands on the sofa cushion.

Eve kept hold of that braid and guided her cock between Ville’s legs, making sure she was wet enough before penetrating smoothly to the hilt. Her hips flush against Villanelle’s ass and shaking thighs, the groan from her lover was like a drug.

Villanelle was suddenly so full. “Da—Daddy,” she gasped, squeezing the cushion beneath her and stuttering her hips, another groan escaping. “You—you’re big, Daddy,” she urged Eve on. “Strong... you feel so good... Daddy please, fuck me...”

Eve growled, a threatening, rumbling sound that she had never made before during sex, and she wrenched Villanelle’s head back far enough that she could bend forward and bite her face.

Villanelle turned her head the best she could to offer more of her skin and whimpered when Eve’s hips moved, the pleasure stalled and then delivered again with a powerful thrust. The stretch was beautiful and uncomfortable and perfect, because it didn’t quite hurt but it made her _aware_ of how fully Eve was inside her, taking up all the space and pushing for more.

Eve let go of her braid and grabbed her around the hips, helping Ville ride her cock as she picked up the rhythm, watching the sweat sheen on her lover’s skin and the wisps of hair no longer willing to be contained by the restrictive plait and the muscles in Villanelle’s back and shoulders rippling under the fabric of her dress. She took in the whines and whimpers and moans and groans and the way they escalated to shouts and cries and begging without actual words, and then Villanelle was coming, back arched, ass tight against Eve’s thighs, the word “Daddy” pouring from her mouth over and over and over again until she collapsed.

And Eve did not have time to calm her down or gently slide out of her because Villanelle stood up and shoved her backwards with both elbows dug into her sides. Before she could blink, Villanelle spun around, ripped off the harness and shoved her hard against the wall with one hand around her throat and two fingers in her cunt, kissing her like the world was ending and rubbing a thumb over her clit.

Surprised did not even begin to cover it, and she barely got to look down and see Villanelle’s hand moving in her boxer briefs because Ville was holding her so tight against the wall and everything was hot and fast and frenzied and she couldn’t stop the orgasm even if she wanted to and she was tightening, coming on Villanelle’s hand, and then they slid down the wall together and just tried to breathe.

“What was _that_?” Eve panted after about five minutes of nothing.

“That was me losing control,” Villanelle panted back. “I will ask next time.”

“No, Ville, you’re my girlfriend first, before anything else. You don’t have to ask to touch me, unless you’re in trouble or we’re doing something specific or I’ve asked you not to for some reason.” She slung an arm around Villanelle and snatched her close. “Don’t be afraid to touch me, baby. I love you.”

Villanelle slumped into Eve’s chest, relief flooding her body. “I wasn’t sure,” she whispered. “About touching you, I mean. I was sure that you love me.” She put her arms around Eve and held tight. “I love you so much. I never thought I could have a relationship with anyone, but—but then I met you and there was...”

“The world changed,” Eve finished for her when she trailed off. “At least our versions of it.”

Villanelle smiled. “Yes,” she agreed. “Yes, that is a good way to put it. My reality is not what it was before. I feel like so much more of a whole person now.”

“You’re perfect,” Eve breathed into her hair. “Perfect and beautiful and smart and funny and mine.”

Villanelle did not think anything had ever sounded so good.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well... Villanelle gets spanked in a bookstore. It's for a job.

Eve watched Villanelle slam her case file shut. “Not excited?” she asked.

Villanelle gave her a look. “Eve, this job is very specific and has a very narrow margin for success. I am going to need your help with this job.”

“Sorry, baby, my girlfriend is the assassin. I only kill people in the heat of the moment.”

“I do not need you to kill anyone.”

Eve noticed Villanelle was missing the humor in her statement. “Okay, what do you need me to do?”

“It is... delicate.”

Color her intrigued. “Are you embarrassed?” she finally asked, jaw dropping a little.

“Eve!” Villanelle shouted, her voice just shy of a whine. “Basically what will be needed is that Oksana will need her mommy to spank her in the middle of a very specific bookstore in front of a very specific employee!”

Eve sat there staring, trying to process that. She failed. “What?” Villanelle groaned and threw herself on the floor with her usual dramatic flair, and Eve couldn’t help laughing.

Villanelle spoke to the carpet. “The target is into something called ageplay, Eve, which Carolyn so generously included a lengthy article about INSIDE my file because she knows you make me read them, thank you _so_ much, and the only way to access this target is to get an invitation to one of his parties, because he does not leave the house and it is surrounded by guards. Even if I could sneak in, which I could, there would be armed guards waiting for me at every window. So I need to somehow wrangle an invitation to an ageplay party and I cannot very well spank myself in the middle of a bookstore, and I am not going to let anyone else do that to me, so it has to be you.”

Eve decided to process the easiest parts of that first. “Spank you. Got it. Bookstore. Got it. I take it this bookstore employee has the power of the invite?”

“Yes. Now you are catching on. That was a very long explanation you made me give you, Eve, instead of just agreeing to help me.”

Eve laughed again and held out her arms. “C’mere, drama queen.”

Villanelle did not think she was a drama queen, but she did like Eve’s lap so she crawled over and climbed into it. “Arsehole,” she muttered.

“Oh, you’re starting early on the spanking?” Eve asked, enjoying Villanelle’s answering wriggle.

“No,” Villanelle said simply. “What am I supposed to wear, though? I am not used to dressing non-fabulous. And it cannot be something obvious like Power Ranger pajamas. We will look like we are trying too hard.”

“Power Rangers? Really?”

“ _Eeeeve_.”

Eve snickered. “How about... yeah no, I have no fucking clue,” she said, shaking her head. “Maybe you should ask Carolyn.”

Villanelle punched her in the arm and Eve shrieked and they spent the next ten minutes wrestling until Villanelle had Eve pinned. “YES!” she shouted, squeezing Eve’s sides with her knees so she could put her fists in the air, victorious.

“Wait,” Eve said. “How old are you supposed to be?”

“Between twelve and fourteen,” Villanelle said, lowering her arms.

“Oh, that’s easy, then,” Eve said, relieved. “Just wear tight jeans, an inappropriately see-through shirt and a ton of jewelry.”

Villanelle peered down at her. “Why did you not ask me this question sooner?”

“I didn’t think about it...?” Eve said. “Obviously.”

“You are so sassy today, Eve,” Villanelle said with a sultry, flirty grin.

“Is that a complaint?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, and if you’re twelve to fourteen, I would probably say Mum instead of Mommy.”

Villanelle frowned down at her. “But I like calling you Mommy.”

“Yes, but this is a job,” Eve reminded her. “We’re not going to tell Carolyn that we fucked up a job because you wanted to call me Mommy, are we?”

Villanelle sulked. “No.” And then a mischievous little smirk appeared and she added, “If we fuck up this job we are going to tell Carolyn that it is somehow your fault. That I was perfect and you were so, so bad at your job.”

Eve stared hard at her. “We’re not doing that.”

“Then I guess we better not fuck up this job, hm?”

Eve groaned.

***

Eve stopped her girlfriend on the way out of the apartment, pushing Villanelle’s back into the door and squeezing her cunt through her jeans. “I like you in jeans.”

Villanelle squeaked in surprise and then melted at the firm touch, trying to angle her hips down and make it firmer. “Eve—”

“I wish I could fuck you, baby, but we have to go,” Eve said regretfully.

“But if I show up flushed it will be so realistic,” Villanelle attempted to sway her.

Eve squeezed harder but didn’t relent. “No, we don’t have time.”

Villanelle grunted, and it turned into a growl as she stomped her foot. “I _hate_ being told no, Eve!”

Eve could tell that Villanelle was actually pissed off, so she softened her approach. She kissed her lover, sweet and gentle, playing with one of her twin French braids. “I know, baby, and I want to tell you yes but we really have to go... You said there was a narrow margin of success for this job and I want you to be successful, always. Can you be good? Please?” She looked into Villanelle’s eyes and watched the fire start to fade. That was a good sign.

Villanelle did not know how Eve managed to calm her down so often, but she felt the anger sliding away and took a few seconds to breathe through her nose. She wanted to be good for Eve. She always wanted to be good for Eve. “I’m sorry,” she finally said, staring at the floor.

“There’s no need,” Eve assured her, kissing her again. “Is Oksana ready to go get a spanking?”

Villanelle huffed a little and then looked sheepish. “Oksana is always getting spanked.”

“Not always,” Eve said. “I mean...she’s naughty sometimes, but not all the time. Don’t talk shit about my kid.”

Villanelle’s eyes widened at hearing herself defended like that, and at hearing what Eve thought of her when she was Oksana. The last part made her laugh, though, even while it made her feel so special and important for Eve to think of Oksana as hers. “Your kid is a douchebag,” she said, sticking out her tongue and then pulling the door open to run away from Eve.

Eve should have expected that but she didn’t, and by the time she locked the door and caught up to Villanelle, their ride was waiting.

***

Villanelle stole a piece of gum out of Eve’s purse and smacked it loudly as they walked into the bookstore.

“Hey,” Eve said. “That’s rude. Chew with your mouth closed. Ew.”

“Whatevs,” Villanelle replied, walking away to look at the graphic novels.

Eve chose not to pick that battle yet and tried to locate the employee they needed to impress.

Well, he was not hard to find. He was trying to be unobtrusive as he followed Villanelle around the store, but he was failing miserably. Eve had spotted him the moment he took a step toward her girlfriend, and normally she would be extremely pissed off, but this would actually make their task a lot easier.

She let Villanelle browse on her own for about fifteen minutes while she made her own careful selections, and then tracked down her lover, noting creep-o’s position a few yards off and halfway behind one of the stacks.

“Okay hon, let’s go,” she said, stopping beside Villanelle, who was now in the lesbian erotica section, because why wouldn’t she be, because this was still _Villanelle_ no matter how she was dressed.

“I’ve not finished browsing,” Villanelle said Britishly.

“What are you—” Eve pretended to be surprised as she looked over the titles Ville was perusing. “No, you’re done,” she said decisively. “Get out of this section. And what did I tell you about that gum?”

Villanelle looked at her, made a face, and then proceeded to grab the gum between her thumb and forefinger and stretch it away from her mouth until it got stringy, and then she just... dropped it on the floor.

Eve was genuinely aghast at that even though she knew they were playing roles here. That was just so unforgivably gross. “Pick that up. Now.”

Eve’s tone of voice made Villanelle shiver, for real for reals, but she knew she had to earn a spanking so she just turned back to the selection of fine lesbian erotica and ignored Eve.

Eve grabbed her by the arm and used the element of surprise to bend her forward. “Pick it up. _Now_.”

There were a few people looking at them and she honestly had no idea what Ville was going to do next. Even in a very planned scenario, Villanelle usually somehow managed to shock her.

“NO!” Villanelle shouted, breaking her hold and starting to walk away.

And there it was, the shock, because Villanelle had shouted that _very_ loudly and now almost everyone in the store was looking at them.

Eve could see creep-o out of the corner of her eye, though she’d had no doubt he would still be watching her girl.

“That is _it_ ,” she called after Villanelle, and she snatched up the gum, threw it in the nearest bin, and stalked her way around until she found her lover again. This time near the back corner of the store, and Eve knew that was purposeful. She grabbed Ville again and wrangled her to the area with armchairs and small round tables.

There was one lady reading peacefully, but when she saw the approaching shit show, she cleared out.

Eve sat down and dragged Villanelle across her lap, which was not easy, mind you, given the amount of struggling that Villanelle was doing. “Oksana!” she hissed. “Stop it right now!” She managed to get her left arm wrapped around Ville’s waist so she could smack her butt. Which looked fucking fantastic in these jeans, by the way. She spotted creep-o lurking and reeled him in. “I hope you don’t mind,” she addressed him directly. “But if I don’t punish her now, she’ll think she can do whatever she wants in public.”

“MUM!” Villanelle shrieked, kicking her legs, and Eve had to throw one of her own over them to keep from being sneakered in the face.

“No no, I understand,” creep-o said, taking a step closer. _Ew_. “Does she misbehave often?”

Eve spanked her again. “ _Constantly_ ,” she told the guy, enjoying Villanelle’s growl.

“Mum, twelve is too old for this!” Villanelle protested, refusing to settle down.

“That’s too bad,” creep-o said, not meaning it at all.

“Tell me about it,” Eve snorted, laying down a few harder slaps to get Ville’s attention. “Oksana, stop,” she said. “Unless you want to lose the pants.”

Villanelle froze. “Mum, you wouldn’t. Not in public.” She tried to sound scared instead of immensely turned on. “Someone’ll call the coppers, you’d better not do that to me, Mum...”

“I’ll do as I please,” Eve snapped. “Now behave.”

When Villanelle didn’t start struggling again, Eve gave her about ten good whacks and let her up.

Villanelle had the most adorable scowl on her face that Eve had ever seen, and her cheeks were bright red. “You are the _worst_!”

“Do you want to go back over?”

“No!” _Yeeeeeeees_.

“Apologize to this poor employee for your ridiculous behavior,” Eve told her, standing from the chair. “And you have once chance to make him believe you’re sorry even if you aren’t,” she warned.

Villanelle figured now was the time to really turn on the charm, and she sniffled like she was about to cry, moving close to Eve, half hiding behind her, keeping her eyes on the floor at the dude’s feet when she spoke. “I—I’m terribly sorry, Sir, it shan’t happen again in your lovely store.”

“You should listen better to your mum,” creep-o said. He turned back to Eve. “If you’re interested...” He pulled a card from his back pocket and held it out to her.

“What is that, what is that?” Villanelle asked excitedly as Eve took the card. She grabbed the sleeve of Eve’s blouse and pressed her mouth to it, right over Eve’s shoulder.

Eve could feel Villanelle biting the fabric and knew it would be wet when she let go, but it was damn adorable and walking around with a wet shoulder was a small price to pay for having such an amazing girlfriend. “What is this?” she asked creep-o, looking at the card. “This is a phone number. What’s it for?”

“You call the number, get a time and the address and an entry code, and then you just... show up.”

Villanelle squealed and bit her shirt harder. “Is it a party?” she asked through clenched teeth.

“She loves parties,” Eve told creep-o. “She’s always wanting to go, but to be honest, we haven’t had a whole lot of luck finding people who are... like minded,” she said, deliberately obtuse.

He smiled, and it wasn’t as creepy as she thought it would be, though it was still definitely on the creep scale. “Well now you have. I’m Bert, by the way.”

“I’m Eve, and this is Oksana. Are there any rules we should know about or do we get those on the phone as well?” It was a little hard to talk while being jolted by Villanelle’s excited little jumps since her girlfriend’s mouth had still not let go of her shirt.

“There are really no rules,” Bert said with a shrug. “Come as you are, come in an evening gown, come wearing pajamas, come naked, it really doesn’t matter. No one will judge you.”

“That’s—wow, this is excellent,” Eve said, staring at the card and then back up at him as if he were some kind of hero. “Thank you, Bert. Thank you so much.” She turned her head and craned her neck to look at Villanelle. “Manners, Oksana.”

Villanelle let go of the shirt with her mouth but kept hold of it with tight fists, and poked her head out to look at Bert. “Thank you, Sir.”

Her twelve-year-old British voice was so light and airy and _cute_ that Eve wasn’t sure she could handle it for very long. “Good girl,” Eve said, sneaking that in just to torture Ville a little. “If you behave for the rest of the day, we’ll go to this party.”

“Yes,” Villanelle said, pressing herself fully against half of Eve’s back. “May I get a book, Mum, please?”

“No,” Eve said, leading her toward the checkout and grabbing her own small pile of books on the way. She had to buy them now or she would risk their cover, so she made Ville wait in line with her – not one of her girlfriend’s strong suits, waiting – and she bought the books, glad their little outing had proved a success.

***

When they were in the car provided to take them home, Villanelle squealed and buried her face in Eve’s neck. “You should have seen your face when I dropped that gum,” she said, back to her normal voice, her laugh reaching all the way to her eyes as she sat up and started rocking back and forth. “And then when I screamed at you in the middle of the store, it was priceless, Eve!”

“I’m sure it was,” Eve snorted. “My shoulder is like... soaked.”

“I am sorry, I was excited, Eve,” Villanelle said, rolling her eyes and obviously not at all sorry. “You are being a killjoy. We just successfully completed phase one of this very difficult job. You should be excited too. You should be applauding my impeccable acting and showering me with praise.”

“Ohhhh, is that what I should be doing?” Eve teased. “My bad. You were amazing,” she purred. “Spectacular. I’ve never seen anything like it, baby. You were phenomenal.”

Villanelle swallowed hard. “Now you are overdoing it on purpose.”

Eve snagged her into a hug and kissed her. “You were perfect, Ville.”

Villanelle snuggled into the hug and hummed happily at the kiss. “So were you.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emotional Villanelle, and then later, Emotional Eve.

Villanelle wanted to dress up for the party. Now that they’d gotten their invitation, she could be any age she wanted. Twelve to fourteen was Bert’s thing, but the target liked all ages. She put on her Batman shirt and Minion pajama pants and hugged Eve’s arm when she found her girlfriend in the kitchen.

Eve turned to greet her and blinked. “That’s what you’re gonna wear?”

“What is wrong with it?” Villanelle asked, stepping back to give herself the once over. “It’s cute, Eve.”

“Well yes, it’s cute, but... it’s not really murdery.”

“Well I am not supposed to look murdery!” Villanelle shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. “Who wants to let a murdery person into their house?! Did you want me to wear a necklace of butcher knives?!”

“No but I mean like... it’s _really_ not murdery,” Eve said, unfazed by the outburst.

Villanelle did not know how she felt about Eve not reacting to her yelling. That was supposed to be a bit scary and Eve was not scared at all. You know what? She was mad. She was so mad, she screamed in Eve’s face and stomped into the bedroom and slammed the door. _Really_ loud. And then when Eve did not follow her after a minute or two she opened the door just so she could slam it really loud again.

Eve shut the refrigerator with a sigh. A snack would have to wait. Ville was more important, and the second door slam alerted her to the fact that Villanelle wanted her attention, not space.

She made her way to the door and knocked lightly before opening it and peeking her head in. Villanelle was face down on the bed with her head under a pillow. Eve almost said something about shoes on the bed, but wow, this was not the time. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, next to Villanelle’s hip, and laid a hand on her lover’s back. “I’m here, baby. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.”

Villanelle didn’t acknowledge her at all or move the pillow away from her head. So she tried again.

“Ville... I know there are some things that are hard for you, and I try to be extra sensitive about those things because I never want to hurt you. I didn’t know this was going to be one of them, and I’m sorry, baby.” She started to rub Villanelle’s back.

“You do not get scared anymore when I yell!” Villanelle yelled from under the pillow.

Eve carefully took the pillow away and set it down beside them. “Do you really want me to be scared of you?” She didn’t think Villanelle really wanted that, but she wanted to give her a chance to think about it and decide for herself.

Eve’s words echoed around inside Villanelle’s head as she tried to make sense of them; tried to make sense of her feelings and why she was so upset. She did not really want Eve to be scared of her even though sometimes she thought she wanted it. “No,” she finally said, taking a little comfort from Eve rubbing her back.

Eve was quiet, waiting. She knew it took Villanelle longer than most people to sort out her thoughts, but if she gave her girlfriend time, Ville was usually able to get there.

Villanelle lay there for a long time, thoughts swirling around inside her brain like a gatling gun, and when some of them finally solidified, she turned her head to look at Eve. “If you do not get scared of me when I yell... then what do I have left?”

Eve waited again, just looking at her, rubbing her back, because that didn’t make sense but she knew Villanelle would eventually explain it.

Villanelle felt very safe in the way Eve waited for her to be comfortable talking, never ever rushing her or walking away before she could express herself. Even when she said things that Eve did not understand, Eve listened to her. “I have always felt comfortable being able to scare people,” she said quietly. “And scare people away. It—it has been a... what is the word... fallback?”

Eve thought she knew what word Villanelle was trying for. “Failsafe?”

“Yes,” Villanelle nodded. “Scaring people when I need them to be scared has always been a failsafe. I have always known that if things get too bad, or too sad, or too much, or too happy, I would be able to protect myself by scaring everyone away. You do not get scared away, Eve, no matter what I say or do. And I do not want you to get scared away, I want you to be here always, forever with me, but—I feel like the ground is out from under my feet when my failsafe does not protect me.”

Eve marveled at how incredibly deep Villanelle’s surface feelings actually were. Sometimes, she knew, anger was just anger, but sometimes it was _this_. “Can I hold you?” she asked, the love for this woman overwhelming her.

Villanelle pushed herself up and let Eve collect her into a hug.

“What can I do, baby? Is there anything?” Eve asked, not sure how to fix this one. Probably the only thing that would help with it was time, but if there was something she could do, she would try.

“Can you just... pretend to be scared if I yell at you? For a little while, until I am more used to not having a failsafe?”

“Yeah,” Eve said, kissing the top of her head and squeezing her tight. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“And will you pick me something to wear to the party?”

“You know what?” Eve pulled back to look at her. “I was being stupid. What you’re wearing is perfect.”

“You are not stupid, Eve, even though I tell you how stupid you are sometimes,” Villanelle said, kissing Eve on the side of her face. “But yes, you were being stupid,” she added, finally feeling settled enough to tease. “I will wear this.”

Eve snorted and nuzzled her nose under Villanelle’s ear. “And baby?”

“Yes?”

“You know how I feel about shoes on in the house... and you have shoes on this _bed_.”

Villanelle squeaked and threw her legs over the edge of the bed so her clunky boots were on the floor. “I think you are mistaken.”

Eve laughed, nipping Villanelle’s earlobe. When the laugh settled, she just held Villanelle close for another few minutes before she checked in. “Are you feeling okay now?”

“Yes,” Villanelle said, leaning her head on Eve’s shoulder. “Thank you, Eve.”

“Thank you for talking to me,” Eve returned the sentiment. “Should we get going?”

“Mhmm. How long do you want to stay?”

“What?”

“Like... do you want to play with me first, or do you just want to show up, I find him and kill him, and then we go home?”

Eve opened her mouth to answer and shut it. “I... don’t know,” she finally decided. “What do you want?”

“I always want you to play with me, Eve, but... this is a job, and the less time people have to see our faces, the better, I think.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” But that got Eve’s wheels turning. “I could probably find somewhere else for us to play sometime, if you wanted.” She tried to sound casual even though the idea of playing with Villanelle in public was pretty drool inducing.

Villanelle looked at Eve. “Okay,” she said before she could either talk herself out of it or sound too excited.

“Okay,” Eve repeated. “I’ll look into it when we get home.”

“Home,” Villanelle said dreamily. “I like that you call this home.”

“I didn’t—” Eve started, blushing. “I didn’t mean to. But I guess I do think of this as home now.”

Villanelle got off of her lap and started dancing, and then that wasn’t enough so she started singing at the top of her lungs. She almost fell on her ass when Eve got up and joined her. It might have been one of her most favorite moments of her life.

***

“Don’t be checking out any hot girls,” Eve said as they stepped into the foyer.

Villanelle smirked and nudged her. “You either.”

“Deal.”

“You look so cute!”

Both of them spun to look at the speaker, a sorority-girl-looking type who was eyeing Villanelle up and down.

“Thank you,” Villanelle said sweetly, and Eve popped her on the ass and grabbed her elbow.

“Don’t talk to strangers,” she said loudly, tugging Villanelle further into the house.

Villanelle was gleeful. “Eve, you are so jealous. I just said thank you to a nice compliment. You would not want me to be rude, would you? How would that make you look, if your little girl went around being rude? People would think you do not discipline me.”

Eve snickered and kept Ville close as they wove their way through the crowd. “You’re a dick.”

“Now who is rude?” Villanelle made a disgusted face at her. “Oh, there he is.”

“Where?”

“Why would I tell you that? So you can look at him and make him suspicious? _Woooow_ , Eve, your professionalism sucks as much as your discipline.”

“I thought you wanted to arrive, do the job and get out of here, not arrive, taunt me into beating your ass to within an inch of your life, then do the job and get out of here.”

Villanelle had moved into work mode already and was assessing her options. “Try to look normal,” she said. “I’ll be back when I’m done.”

Eve watched her go until she was out of sight, then turned to the snack table when her stomach growled. She had forgotten to eat something after problem solving, so she grabbed a plate of crackers and cheese. She smelled them first to make sure they weren’t weird, and they seemed fine, and as soon as she took a bite the lights went out and she prayed that was Villanelle’s doing. She shoved the rest of the cracker into her mouth and dropped the plate (she at least aimed for the table behind her but she really didn’t care if it landed on the floor) so she could get out her phone and use the flashlight.

Other people were doing the same thing, and Jesus Christ now the room was brighter than it was with the lights on, but in bursts, and it was awful. She was torn between going to search for Villanelle to make sure she was okay and staying where she was so Villanelle would know where to find her.

She was still agonizing over the decision when her phone buzzed.

_Cm get me upstrs frst dr_

She was in action even as she was reading the stuttered text, using her phone to see where she was going. The stairs were in the back and she took them two at a time, bursting into the first room she came across after she hit the upstairs landing, shining her light in a quick arc to locate Ville the fastest.

Villanelle was down, and Eve didn’t take time to panic, she just switched into combat mode, checked the target for a pulse, and when she found a faint one she stomped on his throat, then checked again, and when she confirmed he was dead she slipped one arm under Villanelle’s shoulders and one under her knees and lifted her up and God had she even made sure to breathe in the last thirty seconds?

She used the hand that was under Ville’s shoulders to shine the phone ahead of her on the way back down. She was cautious but fast, and when some guy in the foyer looked like he was about to question their early departure, she beat him to the punch. “It’s past her bedtime,” she whispered, trying to move around him to get out the front doors.

“She’s got a knife in ‘er leg,” the man pointed out unhelpfully. Eve almost asked him if he was from Australia but then remembered she didn’t give a shit.

Then his words registered. She hadn’t been able to see that in her haste and lack of light, and she hoped she was able to keep the surprise off her face so her response would be convincing. “We are working through a trauma, and that includes self-injurious behavior, but she’s gotten better. Thank you so much for your concern, though. Everyone here is so _nice_.” She plastered on a fake smile and if he didn’t move out of the way she was literally going to body check him and run.

“Oh moi. Ya’d better get ‘er home then, hadn’t ya?”

“Exactly,” Eve said, and he not only moved but opened the doors for her. “Thanks again,” she said, and when she was walking away down the street she got rid of the stupid smile. Their ride was supposed to be waiting around the corner and he’d better not have gone for coffee or anything that would delay her from helping Villanelle.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the car, and when the driver saw her carrying Villanelle he jumped out and opened the back for her.

She leaned in and carefully set her girlfriend down first, then climbed in and immediately called Konstantin.

“Hello?”

“Villanelle got fucking stabbed in the leg!” she shrieked, letting herself start to feel panic now that they were safe.

“Don’t take the knife out!” Konstantin shouted in a rush.

Eve spared a moment to be sarcastic. “Thank you, I learned that one the hard way in Paris.”

“I will call the hospital and let them know you are coming. I’ll meet you there.”

“Thanks.” She hung up and pulled Villanelle into her arms as the car pulled away from the curb. “Baby, wake up,” she said, the stress of the last ten minutes catching up to her and making her breath hitch, tears welling in her eyes too fast to be contained, so they spilled over and down her cheeks. She shook her lover gently, not wanting to risk furthering any unseen injuries, but she needed Villanelle to wake up. “Ville, please,” she begged, shaking her a little again.

Villanelle was vaguely aware of Eve’s voice saying her name, and she tried to get herself closer to the sound, but she hurt so much, everywhere, and she just wanted to sleep. Then she felt something on her face, something wet, and she was sure she should know what it was, but... was she underwater? No. Eve’s voice again, and more wet, and Eve was crying. That’s what it was. Tears. Eve’s tears. That was not okay.

She struggled awake with an anguished groan, but she couldn’t make herself open her eyes. “Eve,” she gasped. “I am okay.” And then she passed back out.

Eve wanted her to stay awake, but she was extremely grateful for the few seconds of coherency. And the fact that the words Ville did speak were to try to make _her_ feel better just ripped at her heart.

***

Eve stayed until they were ready to take the knife out, and then they made her wait in the hallway with Konstantin.

“What the shit is she wearing?” Konstantin asked, extending a hand toward the window of Villanelle’s room. “What are you doing to my perfect assassin?”

Eve slapped him upside the head and they both sulked at each other. “You better be joking,” she muttered.

“Of course I am joking,” he said, rubbing his head. “You make Villanelle happy. And not the ‘I just got a new jacket for two thousand pounds’ happy, but really happy. The kind that matters. It is nice to see.”

Now Eve felt bad for hitting him. “Oh,” she said, staring. “Well.” Staring. “Thank you.” Staring. “Sorry I hit you.”

“Eh, it is fine. You are emotional.” He watched Eve go to the window and put a hand against it. “You love her?”

“Yeah,” Eve said, nodding. “Yeah. I do.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little recovery chapter. And some feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So someone complained in the comments about the fact that Villanelle is the only one getting touched, basically. (And I'm not talking about the person who said it was a little weird, I am talking about the person who did not even comment directly TO me!) If you have a question, I'll answer. If you have a suggestion, I'll consider it. If something doesn't work for you, I don't mind hearing why. I may not change anything, but you never know, maybe I will. My ego isn't so huge that I think I am perfect. HOWEVER, if you come into my comments and be a dick? I'm gonna get pissed. And I'm gonna say something to you. I'm not above dragging.
> 
> To address the base issue, there is a reason I haven't written Villanelle doing a lot of touching Eve yet. There is a dynamic between them that yes, is evolving constantly, but there are reasons for the way I'm doing it. Eve may not have realized that she wasn't letting Villanelle reciprocate, but I certainly realized. So instead of complaining, maybe ask a question. Maybe think for a minute about how this isn't a PWP and every sex scene has meaning to the development of their emotional relationship. And don't come at me rude because I can be a nasty bitch.
> 
> To everyone else... I LOVE YOU lol

They didn’t have to do surgery, thank God, but Villanelle was looking at a good length of time without being able to walk very well. Eve was not looking forward to delivering that news. But nothing was broken and she had no other injuries, which did not make sense to Eve given how quickly she was down and the state she was in during the ride to the hospital.

Finally, hours and hours later, Eve was allowed to see her and she pulled up a chair, taking Villanelle’s hand.

Villanelle squeezed her hand but didn’t want to look at her. She was... embarrassed. Embarrassed that Eve had to rescue her from what should have been a simple job. She knew Eve was going to ask what happened, so she might as well get it over with. “It would seem that Bert knew a lot more than he let on,” she said bitterly. It still hurt to talk, she still hurt all over, but at least she was done sweating and not having control of any of her functions. And the vomiting had stopped. Her chest still felt tight but that would go away. “So the target was expecting me.”

“Jesus,” Eve said, not missing the fact that Villanelle wouldn’t look at her. “Well that’s not your fault,” she said, squeezing her lover’s hand. “I didn’t suspect him either. He did a good job just pretending to be a creep.”

“He is a creep,” Villanelle pouted. “Just worse of a creep than we thought.” And then, as if things weren’t bad enough already, a sudden panic gripped her and her eyes went wide. “Eve! I was down before I could verify—”

“I took care of it, baby,” Eve interrupted, bringing Ville’s hand to her lips and kissing her knuckles. “I stomped on his throat and made sure he was dead. Don’t worry. Carolyn called in cleanup and we’re all good.”

Villanelle’s relief was tempered by the knowledge that Eve had been forced to clean up her mess, but at least the assignment was a success, and she could feel sorry for herself without actually losing her job. “I did not want for you to have to kill anyone,” she said, brow furrowed.

“I’m just glad I was there with you. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I wasn’t. I could’ve lost you.” Her hands shook as the words poured out and her eyes filled with tears.

“No, you will not lose me, Eve,” Villanelle tried to reassure her. “I am tough, remember?” But she didn’t feel tough right now. She felt like she had been dragged for five miles behind a horse over rocky ground.

“Speaking of tough, they told me you have no other injuries besides the stab wound, but in the car you seemed... I don’t know. It seemed like more.”

“Yeah,” Villanelle said, finally looking at Eve, her eyes wide with indignation at the size of the target’s fucking balls. “That motherfucker had a syringe full of GD! He tried to inject me with it but ended up squirting a little in my _mouth_!”

“A syringe full of what?”

“GD! Or maybe soman, you call it. It is a nerve agent, and very unpleasant.” 

“A nerve agent? What, like VX?”

“Yes. Horrible stuff, Eve. I was sweating and vomiting and pissing and could barely breathe. That is why I asked them to keep you out until the antidotes kicked in. It took a long time because I did not get them right away.”

“Baby!” Eve practically shouted, her eyes welling up again. “I would have still wanted to be here for you, I don’t care about any of that...”

“Well I do. I did not want you to see me like that. It is bad enough you had to finish my job for me and carry me out of that house.” She looked away again. “What if I am losing my edge?”

Eve moved Villanelle over and climbed into bed with her, careful of her leg. “If you were losing your edge, the target would not have been incapacitated even though he had the advantage of knowing you were coming. If you were losing your edge, I would be—” She choked on the words. “I would be identifying your body, not laying here in the hospital with you.” A few tears escaped and Villanelle’s hand came up to wipe them away.

“Don’t cry, Eve,” she whispered, her own embarrassment forgotten in the face of Eve’s sadness. “I am okay. You were there for me and I am okay. I did not mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t upset me,” Eve promised. “It’s just hard to love someone so much and then be scared of losing them.”

Villanelle’s breath caught. “Believe me, I know that feeling very well. _Very_ well. I have known that feeling since before you even liked me at all.”

Eve’s lips twitched up a little and she nuzzled Villanelle’s face with her nose. “I actually always kind of liked you, I just didn’t want you to know it. I mean... your ego was big enough already without me stroking it.”

“That is so rude,” Villanelle said, but she couldn’t help laughing. “Everything hurts, Eve. It’s getting better, but soman is extremely nasty stuff. I am lucky that only a small amount got into my mouth.”

“I didn’t think civilians had access to nerve agents,” Eve said. “I’m gonna kick Carolyn square in the ass for not telling us it was a possibility.”

Villanelle looked sheepish.

“What?” Eve asked.

Villanelle whistled and looked at the ceiling.

“Ville.”

“Yes, Eve?”

“It was in the file, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Eve...”

Villanelle looked so innocent that Eve couldn’t even growl. “Guess what’s happening from now on?”

Villanelle’s innocent look faded, replaced by skepticism. “What?”

“We’ll be reading your files together.”

Oh. That wasn’t bad. “Good. More time together,” she said with a shrug.

Eve laughed. “Of course you would see it that way.”

***

Villanelle was released the next morning, the effects of the nerve agent finally gone, and they picked up an antibiotic prescription from the hospital pharmacy before they left. Eve put Villanelle in a wheelchair despite her protests, and had to promise to push her really fast to get her to sit down.

So here they were, Eve running through the halls pushing Villanelle in the wheelchair, swerving to avoid patients and employees and furniture while Villanelle yelled like she was on an amusement park ride. There was no shortage of stares and complaints, but Eve didn’t care. Villanelle was happy and smiling, so everyone else could sod off.

She almost crashed into the revolving doors at the exit, barely skidding to a halt before things would have gotten really ugly, and Villanelle was laughing so hard that Eve wanted to stop time and record this moment. That laugh... that genuine laugh, the one where Villanelle didn’t hold anything back, it reached inside of Eve and turned on switches she didn’t even know she had.

“I am not paying for this, that was really shitty service,” Villanelle said when she stopped laughing so hard. “Imagine, almost crashing with your very vulnerable patient. Shame on you, Eve.”

Eve smirked at her and with one swift motion she picked her girlfriend up out of the wheelchair, an arm under her shoulders and one under her knees just like last night. Only this time Villanelle was light and airy and glowing instead of pale and sticky and passed out. “I love you,” she said, being careful as she carried Villanelle out the revolving doors and to their waiting car. “Like, I really, _really_ love you.”

Villanelle’s smile delumed from giddy to content, and she sighed. “I love you _so_ much.”

Eve got them in the car and buckled. “Please be patient with me if I’m really, _really_ overprotective for awhile?”

Villanelle’s chest was warm as she looked at Eve. “It will be fine, Eve. I like you being overprotective. No one has ever been that way for me before. It is just another thing that you give me that I have never had. I do not mind it, okay?”

Eve exhaled with relief. “Thank God.”

***

That night, Villanelle rolled over in bed to face Eve and tucked some unruly hair behind her girlfriend’s ear. “I have not forgotten about the tattoo,” she whispered.

Eve’s entire body started to hum. “Oh?”

Villanelle nodded, moving closer. “I still want it.”

“ _Oh_...” This time the word was more of a breath.

“Tomorrow. We will go tomorrow.”

Eve wrapped Villanelle in her arms. “Okay. Tomorrow.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle finally gets her tattoo. And then there are a lot of angsty feels at the end.

It was tomorrow. Villanelle had asked Eve to write out the words for the tattoo in her own handwriting.

[Eve's Property](https://imgur.com/a/hJvCsq6)

Now they were at the studio, and when Villanelle slid the piece of paper across the counter, the artist looked at it, looked at her, and looked at Eve. “Are you Eve?”

Eve didn’t really expect them to ask any questions, but she supposed there was no harm admitting who she was. “Yes...” Her tone clearly communicated that she hoped he had a good reason for asking.

“Are you making her get this?”

Eve’s jaw dropped. “If you knew her—”

“But I don’t know her. So are you making her get this?” He looked at Villanelle. “Is she making you get this?”

Villanelle was so fucking stunned by the very _concept_ of this conversation that she stood there staring and not saying anything.

Eve was amused, just because come on, it was _Villanelle_. But she picked up the slack. “Look... I get where you’re coming from, but the only thing I made her do was wait a month to make sure she really wanted it. And now it’s been a month, and she still wants it, so here we are.” She gestured grandly with one arm.

The guy looked at Villanelle. “I’m gonna need to hear something from you if you want me to do this tat.”

And then, suddenly, Villanelle wasn’t stunned anymore and she _unleashed_. Her eyes burned with fury that he would dare to not believe the words from Eve’s holy mouth. “Listen to me, you piece of shit! It is not your _job_ to question your clients, it is your fucking _job_ to shut your fucking _mouth_ and take your fucking _gun_ and put these words on my fucking _body_ unless you want me to—”

“Ville,” Eve finally interrupted, sensing the telling off was about to turn violent.

Villanelle growled and slammed her hands on the counter, making the guy jump. “He was disrespecting you, Eve!” she screamed.

“Not on purpose. I’ll explain it later, baby.” She laid a hand on Villanelle’s back, rubbing in soothing circles, and looked at the artist. “So, are we good?”

He looked... not scared, exactly, but not _not_ scared, either. “I mean... I guess so, yeah,” he said with a shrug.

Villanelle was still fuming as he led them into the back, and she stripped off her bomber jacket, handing it to Eve, and climbed onto the chair for clients in the middle of the room. “I want it on the back of my neck and if you say one fucking word—”

“Villanelle,” Eve said again, an edge in her voice and she watched her girl settle. “You’ve already made your point. He gets it.”

“I am so angry,” Villanelle muttered.

“I know, baby.” Eve didn’t have to hide her smile because Ville was facing away from her, chest pressed to the back of the leather client chair.

“What color do you want it?” the artist asked, starting to set up his equipment.

“Black,” Villanelle snapped. “And I want blood dripping down from the ‘v’.”

“What kind of blood?”

“Are you stupid? How many kinds of blood are there?” Villanelle asked, voice starting to raise again.

“Can you give us a minute?” Eve asked, and the artist stepped out past the curtain that passed for a door. When he was out of sight, though she really didn’t care if he could still hear them or not, she grabbed Villanelle’s messy bun and tightened her hand. “You are behaving very badly,” she said, “and we are about to turn around and go home.”

Villanelle lost her breath, as she always did when Eve was disappointed with her. It felt like a black hole opening in her chest and swallowing all of her organs. “Please,” she said. “I will behave.”

“There are some relationships that have one person in charge without the other person’s consent,” she tried to explain the artist’s line of questioning to her lover. “No safe words, no being able to stop if it gets too much, no love, no trust, just power and powerless. Person and object. Do you understand now?”

Villanelle let the words sink in, and when she imagined such a thing, a shudder ran down her spine. Eve was so amazing, always checking in to make sure she was okay if they were doing something new or something that stripped away her control or something that was supposed to hurt. Sometimes she got annoyed with how much Eve checked in but as she sat there imagining _what if_... what if Eve didn’t care if she was okay? What if Eve did not stop when she said red? What if Eve took away all of her choices and held them against her and did not love or trust her the way she loved and trusted Eve? That would be unbearable. Her heart raced at the thought, in a very bad way, and she had to shake her head to break free of the terror that gripped her. “Eve,” she finally breathed, tears in her eyes, turning to look at her lover. “I will never make fun of you for checking in with me too much, ever again,” she said in understanding.

Eve let out her own breath she’d been holding when Villanelle spoke. She had watched the play of emotions flitting across Ville’s eyes, but there was no guarantee that she was correctly interpreting what she was seeing, so when Villanelle confirmed it, she was relieved. “So you understand why he wanted to hear it from you and not just me?”

“Yes.” She nodded, leaning over to bury her face in Eve’s chest. “I will tell him—I will tell him that I am sorry. That I did not understand.”

“I’m proud of you for that, baby,” Eve said, a little surprised that Villanelle wanted to apologize on her own. “Really proud. You’re going to be good for me now, right?”

Villanelle nodded again, pressing tighter against her. “Yes, Eve.”

“Good girl. Okay, get settled again and I’ll go get him.” She walked over to peer out the curtain. “We’re ready,” she called, even though she couldn’t see anyone.

“On my way,” she heard from the front, and a few seconds later the artist rejoined them in the room.

Villanelle didn’t look at him but she did apologize. “I... am sorry. I did not understand why you would not believe my girlfriend but Eve explained it to me and now I understand that you were just being a good person. The type of blood I would like dripping from the ‘v’ is a single droplet, suspended from the very bottom tip of the letter as if it is about to fall away.”

“I can definitely do that,” the artist said, finishing setting up and then checking to make sure his gun was at the right frequency.

Eve was so fucking proud of Villanelle that she almost started dancing. Inappropriate time and place. But she would definitely be doing something extraordinary for her lover later for that amazing apology.

The artist dipped the needle in the ink and fired up the gun. “This is the part where I would usually ask you if you’re sure... but I’m pretty sure you’re fucking sure,” he said to Villanelle with a smirk toward Eve, getting ready to start putting down her mark.

To her surprise, Villanelle actually chuckled. Quite the day of firsts.

Villanelle groaned when the needle touched her neck but made sure not to move. How was she supposed to sit here forever not moving when her heart was so excited to have Eve’s handwriting on the back of her neck declaring her Eve’s property? The idea was so profoundly erotic that she seriously wanted to start masturbating in the chair. The only reason she didn’t was because that would require moving, and she was not going to do _anything_ to mess up this tattoo. She could masturbate later, or maybe Eve would touch her?

The steady buzz and the constant sting actually lulled her brain into being quiet, and before she knew it, it was done.

“Do you want to see?”

She was _so wet_. “Yes. Yes.”

He handed her a mirror and pointed her toward the wall mirror, and she limped over with shaky steps, glad when Eve followed her. She faced away from the wall mirror and held up the little one so she could see the tattoo, and when her eyes finally landed on it... she grabbed a handful of Eve’s shirt for support as her knees threatened to buckle. The stab wound in her left thigh didn’t help.

 _Eve’s Property_.

She was Eve’s forever now. Eve’s property forever now. No one could ever, _ever_ take that away from her. She had a place to belong and a person that loved her for who she was, not who she could or should be.

She looked at Eve, face flushed, panting out a breath, still holding Eve’s shirt like a lifeline. “I really need to have an orgasm, Eve,” she said, forgetting they weren’t alone.

The artist dropped whatever he was trying to put away and it thudded lightly on the concrete floor. To his credit, he recovered quickly. “We have to sterilize everything between clients anyway, so...” And he left the room.

Eve moved Villanelle’s jacket to her left hand and reached into her lover’s pants with her right, rubbing her through her soaked underwear.

Villanelle whimpered and stared into the mirror she was still holding up, eyes glued to the words on her body, and she was so finely tuned, so keyed up and on edge that Eve’s hand just going into her pants made her start coming, and the rub of Eve’s fingers over her underwear kicked the feeling up a notch. She had to set down the mirror so she could claw at Eve’s back, hips jerking, and a moan loud enough to wake the dead reverberated through the small room like a fucking tuning fork on repeat. She shuddered when she calmed, biting into Eve’s shirt at the shoulder, aftershocks flicking at her cunt until Eve took her hand away.

“Well... that escalated quickly,” Eve said, breaking the tense silence. “That was really fucking hot, baby. You were literally coming as soon as I touched you. I’m just—wow. You’re so good.”

“Take me home,” Villanelle said, her words muffled against Eve’s sleeve.

“We just have to pay, and then I will take you home,” Eve replied, holding her gently for a minute and then finding Villanelle’s lips with her own.

Villanelle was buzzing with excitement, but when Eve kissed her, she melted. “I love you, Eve.”

“I love you too, baby. Can you walk?”

“Very funny, Eve.”

“I meant with your wound.”

“Oh. Yes, I can walk. I walked into this building from the car, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, and you were sweating by the time we reached the door.”

“You can help me if you want.”

“Thank you.” She stood next to her girlfriend and put an arm around Ville’s waist while Villanelle slung an arm around her shoulders.

Villanelle leaned on Eve, and she had to admit, it hurt a lot less that way.

Villanelle didn’t pay attention to the stares they were getting, but Eve noticed each and every look of envy while she settled the bill and added a tip. “I know, right?” she said to the studio at large, grinning like an asshole. “And she’s all mine.”

Villanelle wondered who Eve was talking to, and then she was being ushered out the door and led toward the car. “Are you feeling all right, Eve? Talking to yourself can be a huge sign of stress.”

Eve laughed as they got in the car, and she thought she should really ask the driver’s name since he drove them all over the place whenever they wanted to go somewhere. But... she didn’t. She just looked at Ville. “I was talking to the half dozen people drooling over you,” she said, raising an eyebrow.

“What?”

“You didn’t notice? Everyone was staring at us, jealous as fuck.”

“How do you know they were jealous of you? Maybe they were jealous of me. You are a catch, Eve. Do not sell yourself short.”

Eve laughed again, humoring her lover. “Whatever you say, baby.”

“Yes. Whatever I say,” Villanelle agreed, liking that idea.

“Every time I spank you now or fuck you from behind I’m gonna see that tattoo,” Eve said suddenly.

The driver put up the partition.

“Eve, are you trying to kill me with your sassy words?”

“No, I just realized it. You know Konstantin and Carolyn are gonna see that if you wear your hair up...”

“I will make sure my hair is always up around them, then,” Villanelle said with a flicker of mischief in her eyes and a twitchy little smirk.

Eve groaned. “Now who’s trying to kill who?”

***

When they were home, Villanelle handed Eve her phone. “Will you please take a picture of it so I can look at it whenever I need to?”

“Need to?” Eve took the phone and moved behind Villanelle, making sure the lighting was good before she snapped a picture and handed back the phone.

“Yes.” Villanelle nodded. “Need to, or want to.”

Eve was intrigued. “What kind of situation would make you _need_ to look at it?”

“If you are upset with me, or if I am on a job and you are not able to be with me, or if you get bored of me and—”

“Villanelle,” Eve interrupted. “That last one is naughty. You should know I will never get bored of you.”

“But if you do, I will have this tattoo to prove that I am yours forever even if you do not want me anymore.”

Eve’s heart broke a little. All the people who had always made Villanelle feel worthless just because she was _different_ really made Eve want to get murdery. “I will always want you, baby. You’ll get tired of me before I could ever get tired of you.”

Villanelle gasped. “You know that is not possible,” she breathed. “You are _everything_.”

“Then why don’t you realize that to me, _you_ are everything?”

Villanelle didn’t know what to say to that. All of her normal comebacks did not fit the situation. “Okay,” she finally said softly. “I will try to tell myself that when I get scared.”

“You don’t have to tell yourself,” Eve said, pulling her close. “If you’re scared, just talk to me, and I will remind you you’re everything.”

“You will not want to tell me that every day, Eve.”

“I will tell you that every day,” Eve argued. “You get scared every single day that I’m not going to want you anymore?”

Villanelle gave an awkward shrug, not sure why Eve was surprised by this. Of course she was afraid every day. She had the perfect person to love her, and that meant she had so much to lose.

“Baby... I am going to make sure you know how much I love and want you every single day. From the moment we wake up, you’re going to know. And I’m going to do that every morning until you stop being afraid.”

“I do not understand why you love me.” Villanelle was crying now, feeling like after everything she had done, she did not deserve someone as amazing as Eve.

Eve ran her fingers through Ville’s hair and pulled. “Because you’re you. You’re incredible. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re sexy, and there are things about you that are reserved just for me, like your kindness and thoughtfulness and nervousness... you treat me exactly how I think I deserve to be treated. How I want to be treated. How I’ve always wished someone would treat me. You’re amazing, Villanelle. Absolutely fucking amazing. I wish you could see that.”

Villanelle bit her lip, the tears having stopped while Eve was telling her how amazing she is. “Well, I have always known I am amazing, but for someone else to think that about me is new.”

Eve wasn’t sure if she was trying to be funny or not, so she didn’t laugh. “I think you’re amazing.”

Villanelle sighed. “Thank you, Eve.”

“Ville...” Eve hesitated, chewing her bottom lip, and then forged ahead. “I would not be okay without you. Really and truly, I would not be okay. My life would be ruined.”

Villanelle gasped, eyes searching Eve’s for any hint of insincerity, but she found none. “I would not want your life to be ruined,” she whispered.

“Then you’d better not ever leave me,” Eve said, playing with her lover’s shirt.

This was finally a promise that Villanelle could make. “I promise.”

Eve tilted Ville’s face toward her for a kiss. “I promise too.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for discussion of triggers, if that's a thing... also there is murder!planning in this chapter lol

Villanelle had an appointment with the MI6 physical therapist for her leg and she did not want to go. “I’m not going, Eve,” she said loudly.

“You are going, Ville,” Eve called back from the bedroom, appearing in the doorway and staring at her lover, who was sitting defiantly on the sofa, still in her outrageously expensive pajamas. “If you don’t get dressed, I’ll take you in that.” She pointed her toothbrush at Villanelle’s attire and then retreated back into the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth.

When she was done and returned to the living room, Villanelle hadn’t moved.

“I am not going.”

Eve sighed and sat down next to her, trying a different approach. “Why?”

Villanelle curled up defensively in one corner of the sofa. “I don’t like doctors.”

“It’s not a doctor, baby, it’s just a physical therapist.”

“It is a strange man touching me.”

Eve’s heart skipped a beat. “Ville? Did something happen to you?”

“Why, because I don’t like strange men touching me?” Villanelle snapped. “Nothing happened to me, Eve.”

Villanelle was so far away that Eve didn’t want to push it right now. She tabled the discussion for later and tried yet another approach. “If I can get you a female PT, will you go?”

Villanelle looked at her as if she hadn’t even been aware that was an option. “I...”

Eve took the opening and scooted closer to her, reaching for one of Ville’s hands. “If I get you a female PT and I stay in the room with you, will you go?”

Villanelle picked at the hem of her pajama top with her free hand, staring somewhere over Eve’s shoulder. “Okay.”

Eve sighed with relief and pulled Villanelle into her arms. “I am always going to be willing to do whatever I can for you, baby,” she whispered. “If there’s something that makes you uneasy about a situation, and I can change it, I always will.”

“You are very good to me, Eve,” Villanelle whispered back, feeling for the millionth time that she did not deserve this woman.

“Because you are everything,” Eve said with a grin, referencing their conversation from the week before. And she had told Villanelle that every morning, just like she’d promised.

“I am not as good to you as you are to me,” Villanelle said.

“That’s kind of ridiculous,” Eve said, pulling back to look at her. “I’ve never been happier. You know in fifteen years of marriage, or however long I was with moustache, I don’t even care anymore so I blocked out the number... but anyway, the point is, all those years combined are nothing to the way you make me feel every single day. My best day with him was a thousand times worse than my worst day with you.”

“When I shot you?”

“No,” Eve said, blinking. “When I stabbed you.”

“My worst day was when I shot you.”

“See how romantic we are? We’re more upset about what we did to each other than what was done to us.”

“I still think you are too good for me.”

“Why?” Eve could tell it was something specific at this point.

Villanelle’s eyes shone with tears and she couldn’t look at Eve. It had taken her so long to build up this nasty, clawing, bitter guilt and now it was choking her. She hid her face and cried. “Because I killed your friend.”

Eve gasped. She couldn’t help it. Of all the things Villanelle could have said, she had never expected that. “Oh Go—baby,” she said, holding Villanelle tight. “That was a lifetime ago.” The memory was painful, but she didn’t even think of Villanelle as that same person anymore. “A lifetime ago and you were a different person.”

“You should never forgive me, Eve.”

“That’s not up to you, is it?” Eve asked gently. “How long have you been feeling like this?”

“I don’t know. Not that long. But now it won’t go away.”

“Is this why you’re scared of losing me every single day?”

She felt Villanelle nod against her chest. Suddenly she had an idea. A really fucked up, twisted, psychotic, perfect-for-her-and-Villanelle idea.

“What if we kill Niko together?”

Villanelle choked, tears forgotten and her head sprang up. “ _What_?”

Eve had never heard Villanelle’s voice hit that pitch before. “Yeah. He’s in MI6 custody, but nobody really cares, so... what do you think? If we did that together, would you stop being so scared of losing me over the death of someone I used to care about?” She knew it was different because she would still care about Bill if he was alive, but she hoped it was similar enough to pacify Villanelle’s fears.

Villanelle stared at her. “Why am I the one always getting called a psychopath?” she breathed. “He is moustache. You still care about him. You would be upset if I killed him. That is the only reason I never have.”

“Villanelle,” Eve started, making sure she had her lover’s full, rapt attention before she continued. “The moment he purposely put himself in a situation that allowed you to be hurt, his space in my chest crumbled to fucking dust. I will never care about him, ever. He helped Dasha to hurt you, and I want him dead.”

Villanelle felt like she couldn’t breathe, but somehow in a good way. Being the one Eve chose over everyone else, even moustache, was something she had never expected and holy fucking shit was it powerful. Maybe if they did this, she would stop being afraid. She would very much like to stop being afraid and be able to enjoy things without doubt weighing heavy. “Yes. Okay. I think this could help,” she agreed. And then she started getting excited. “How do you want to do it?”

Eve grinned and kissed her nose. “Your choice.”

“There are so many possibilities, Eve!” Villanelle bounced off of her lap and stood up, pacing in front of the sofa. “Razor wire, electrocution, battery acid...”

“Hairpin to the eye...”

“I do not like to repeat my unique works of art, Eve,” Villanelle said, giving her a look. “The hairpin was and will always be original.” She flopped back onto the couch with narrowed eyes as she thought. “I wish we could somehow kill him with his moustache.”

Eve barked out a laugh and dissolved into hysterics.

It was catching, and what started as a twitch of Villanelle’s lips turned into a chuckle, and that turned into a hesitant laugh, and pretty soon she was just... laughing, with Eve. Not laughing at someone, but laughing because something was genuinely funny both to her and to another person. It felt really good.

When they settled down, she rolled over and sat up to face Eve. “We are not really going to kill him, are we? You were just making a point?”

Eve took both of her hands and squeezed them, looking into Villanelle’s eyes. “I will kill anyone that hurts you.”

Villanelle felt like her lungs were burning. It was too much. Too much, too much for Eve to love her that way, and it was amazing, but it was too, too much and she couldn’t handle the seriousness of it so she did what she always did and made a joke. “Well there was this boy in the third grade who didn’t like my backpack...”

Eve knew what Villanelle was doing because she knew Villanelle and she loved Villanelle, so she let her girlfriend make a joke and she went along with it. “Give me that motherfucker’s name and he’s dead.”

Villanelle cracked a smile and closed the space between them, pressing her lips to Eve’s. Her heart raced and she stopped to ask, “is it okay? Is this okay, that I kiss you?”

“Mhmm,” Eve purred, waiting for Ville to kiss her again, because she was pretty sure this was an important moment, so she didn’t want to kiss back first. She wanted Villanelle to be comfortable kissing her without asking, but she knew there was a fine line they were threading with the way they usually slipped into dominance and submission, so for now she would let Villanelle ask, and she would say yes, and later she would remind Villanelle that it was okay.

Villanelle heard Eve’s murmured answer and even though she knew that Eve had said she didn’t have to ask, she... liked asking. She pressed her mouth to Eve’s again and lost herself in the sensation of the softest lips on Earth.

***

“You are not going anywhere, right?” Villanelle asked for the third time while they waited for the PT to come into the room. “And it will be a female? They told you this?”

“If it’s not a female, we will leave,” Eve promised. “But they did say it would be a female.”

“I know I am being stupid,” Villanelle said, nostrils flaring with irritation.

“You’re not being stupid,” Eve said firmly. “This is a trigger for you. Remember when we talked about that? About veterans and fireworks and bombs? This office is fireworks to you. It’s not stupid, at all.”

“Right,” Villanelle said, wiping her sweaty hands on her pants. “Trigger. Right.” She took a slow breath in and let it out just as slow. She froze when the door opened, reaching for Eve, and relaxed when a woman stepped into the room.

“Hello, you must be Villanelle,” the woman said, extending a hand.

“No, my—my hands are sweaty,” Villanelle told her, wiping them on her pants again.

“Not a problem,” the woman said, taking her hand back with a smile. “There is no right or wrong way to do things here. We can just hug.”

Villanelle stared at her with wide eyes, reaching again for Eve, until the woman laughed and she realized it was a joke. “Oh,” she breathed. “Funny lady.” Except she wasn’t comfortable enough in a doctor’s office to think jokes were funny.

“Sorry. I’m a bit quirky,” the woman offered, pulling a pair of gloves from a box on the wall and putting them on.

“Yes,” Villanelle agreed, and she finally smirked when Eve nudged her.

“ _Rude_ ,” Eve mouthed when Villanelle was looking at her.

“ _She is, right_?” Villanelle mouthed back, gleeful when Eve had to stifle a laugh with her hand.

“I’m Susan, by the way,” the woman said, coming to stand in front of Villanelle. “Let’s see that injury.”

Eve held Villanelle’s hand while Susan palpated the area, watching her lover’s face carefully for any sign of... anything. Discomfort, anger, fear, murder.

“It seems to be healing really nicely,” Susan announced to them both.

“Yes!” Villanelle hissed, looking triumphantly at Eve. “I told you so, Eve.”

“I never said it wasn’t healing nicely,” Eve defended herself. “I said that IF you did not REST then it would not heal nicely.”

“Tomato, tomahto,” Villanelle said, waving a dismissive hand.

Susan showed Villanelle how to do some exercises and showed Eve how to help her, and sent them home with some diagrams and information.

“So,” Villanelle said, once they were back in their apartment. “When are we going to kill moustache?”


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter because I didn't want to lump this in with the murder chapter lol

Eve went to see Carolyn at her home, and when Carolyn opened the door, she just got straight to the point. “Would anyone miss Niko if he—"

“Don’t finish that sentence, Eve. But the answer is no.” And she shut the door.

Eve grinned like an idiot all the way back to Villanelle’s. “Baby,” she called out as she walked in, taking off her shoes. She heard a squeak from the bedroom and hauled her ass across to the door to catch Villanelle at whatever she was doing before she had a chance to stop.

“Nothing!” Villanelle shrieked, hiding something behind her back.

“I didn’t ask you anything,” Eve said, trying to keep a lid on her amusement.

The look on Villanelle’s face was a combination of disgust at being caught and feigned innocence. It painted a rather endearing picture.

“What were you doing?” She took a step forward and Ville took a step back.

“Nothing...”

“Villanelle.”

“Yes?”

“What’s behind your back?”

Villanelle finally groaned, and rolled her eyes, and made other noises to show how extremely, very put out she was about this line of questioning, and she produced their strap-on from behind her back, throwing it onto the bed. “I was just trying it _on_!”

Eve’s hand flew to her mouth but she laughed anyway. Jesus Christ, could Villanelle, assassin extraordinaire, be any fucking _cuter_?

Villanelle scowled at her lover. Of course Eve would laugh.

“You’re really fucking cute when you’re caught being naughty,” Eve tried to explain the reason for her laughter. “You make the best faces, Ville, I swear to God.”

“Oh.” Was that why Eve was laughing? That was not so bad, then. “My face is my best way to show emotion. My words do not always come out right.”

Eve wasn’t laughing anymore and she took a step closer, and this time Villanelle didn’t take a step back. “That makes sense. And it’s a very beautiful face, after all, as someone once told me...”

“Whoever said that was _really_ smart,” Villanelle said quietly, closing the distance between them.

Eve put her arms around her lover. “Did you want to fuck me with that, baby?” She nodded her head toward the strap-on.

Villanelle’s nostrils flared and she was instantly wet. “Well... the thought had maybe crossed my mind...” _Every hour since we bought the fucking thing_. She did not know if Eve would let her do that, but she had thought about it. “It’s okay if you—”

“Put it on.”

Eve’s mouth was right next to her ear, hot breath on her skin, and Villanelle gasped at the three-word interruption. She was not going to make Eve say it twice. She slipped out of her dress and looked at Eve. “Should I take these off?” Her fingers were curled around the top of her panties.

“Yes,” Eve said, and climbed onto the bed, stretching out on her back to watch the process.

Villanelle slid her panties down and stepped out of them, then took off her bra and picked up the harness. She had used one before, but everything was different when it was with Eve. She buckled the straps and adjusted everything, eyes on fire as she turned them toward her very casual-looking girlfriend. “Will you take your pants off, Eve?” she asked, not quite sure how to proceed. Her hands shook with jitters.

“It’s okay, baby, you can take them off,” Eve told her. “You can undress me as much or as little as you want.” She was so curious to know Villanelle’s preferences. This entire situation had been unexpected, but it was definitely more than welcome.

“I would like to undress you all the way,” Villanelle said, keeping her voice soft as she knelt on the bed beside Eve. She reached for the button of the very chic trousers Eve was wearing, taking a moment to appreciate the finery, and then she was pulling off Eve’s pants for the very first time ever.

She wanted to memorize everything about this moment. The way the fabric felt under her hands. The smoothness of Eve’s skin against the backs of her fingers. The muscles in Eve’s thighs. The way Eve was watching her watch herself.

She got the pants off and set them aside as if they were breakable. “Eve,” she said, turning back to her girlfriend and inching forward on her knees until she was between Eve’s thighs. “Would you sit up? Please?” She knew Eve had said she could do whatever she wanted, but she _liked_ getting permission. She _liked_ still leaving it up to Eve. She did not know why she had these feelings when she was so used to just taking what she wanted, but just like everything _else_ , sex was different with Eve.

Eve found the asking to be extremely stimulating, and she sat up when Villanelle asked. She looked down to watch Villanelle’s fingers undo her buttons, and the pace was agonizingly slow. It gave her time to study Villanelle’s hands. Her deadly fingers. Her blood-red nail polish. The delicate way she was moving. Eve started to breathe a little faster. It was one thing to be fucked hard and fast up against a wall in the heat of the moment without a second to think, but this... Villanelle was taking her _time_ , building anticipation with every breath, and Eve was already strung out on the feeling.

Villanelle did not miss the way Eve’s breath changed. She undid the last button and slid Eve’s blouse off, setting it aside on top of the pants. The only time she had ever seen this much of Eve’s skin was that first time she had been to Eve’s house... when they had dinner together in the kitchen. Seeing Eve’s skin now was so much better than that, because she was allowed to touch it. Being allowed to touch Eve’s skin made her bones vibrate and soaked her between her legs.

She reached around to unhook Eve’s bra, slowly peeling it down her arms and adding it to the pile. “This is the first time I am seeing your breasts, Eve,” she whispered, her eyes drawn to hard nipples and the slightly darker skin around them. “They are so beautiful. I want to worship them.”

Eve didn’t speak; she didn’t want to ruin the moment. She just put a hand behind Villanelle’s head and leaned back, bringing Ville with her. A shiver ran through her at the easy way Ville followed.

Villanelle did not have trouble getting the hint and breathed across one nipple, transferring heat. She felt Eve shift beneath her and closed her mouth over Eve’s breast, eyes rolling back just as her eyelids slammed shut. She did not count the time she had gone to sleep doing this, because that was different, so this was her first time. Her belly was tight and her clit was throbbing. She switched breasts and sucked softly, enjoying Eve’s little squirms and the encouraging hand that stayed on the back of her head. “Is it nice?” _Please let it be nice_.

“Yes.” Eve stroked her hair.

“Your breasts fit very perfectly into my mouth,” Villanelle said, kissing her way back over to the first one and licking circles around Eve’s nipple. It was already hard but it stiffened more when she did this and it made her thighs clench. She was able to make Eve hard, and that fact had her desperate.

Villanelle’s mouth was going to drive her crazy. Soft and sweet, but firm enough to make Eve arch into her for more. “You’re getting me excited...”

Villanelle’s pulse was racing. She was excited too. She wanted Eve to tell her what to do. “What would you like me to do next?”

“This is still your show, baby, but I would definitely like you to take my panties off.”

Villanelle shuddered and ducked her head, and with a look up at Eve from under thick lashes, she took Eve’s underwear off with her teeth, and Eve groaned. 

Eve’s hips jerked and her back arched off the bed. “That’s—” She just groaned again.

“Hot? Yes,” Villanelle agreed, setting the panties aside and kissing her way up the inside of Eve’s thighs. The moment she could smell her girlfriend’s excitement, her mouth watered. She tried to keep going slow but it was useless; Eve’s cunt was too powerful, like a fucking magnet for her mouth. She buried her face, moaning at the taste, pushing her tongue in deep and grabbing Eve’s thighs with her hands just a little too desperately. She relaxed her fingers, not wanting to leave marks. Not unless Eve told her to.

Eve shrieked in surprise at the sudden penetration and change of pace, but it was not a complaint. Villanelle’s tongue was exquisite. She tightened her hand in Ville’s hair and rocked her hips. “You feel so good. You’re so fucking good, baby... I can feel you so far inside me, Ville...”

Villanelle loved to hear that and she lifted her head to kiss Eve’s belly. “I want you to feel _so_ good, Eve...” She crawled up a little so she could place the toy between Eve’s legs, and at the last second she got inexplicably nervous and stalled. “Guide me?”

The words ‘what’s wrong’ were on the tip of Eve’s tongue but she shoved them aside because that’s not what Villanelle needed right now. She put her hands on Ville’s waist and slowly pulled down as she lifted her hips, the cock sliding in almost embarrassingly easy. “Fuck, I’m wet.”

Eve looked so beautiful, with her hair splayed over the pillows and her mouth open with pleasure. Villanelle took a picture with her mind.

“Do you want me to keep guiding?” Eve was a little breathless.

“No, I am okay now, thank you,” Villanelle said, leaning over to kiss her as she pressed downward with her hips. “It is really easy to move,” she said when she broke the kiss. “You are right. You are _really_ wet, Eve.”

“Can you blame me?” Eve grinned.

“No,” Villanelle said with casual vanity and kissed Eve again. Now that her psychological barrier had been broken, she had no problem moving in and out of Eve. She went slow at first, watching Eve’s face, memorizing every expression, every movement, every crinkle of skin, and when she had all of those memorized she whimpered. “Can I go faster, Eve?” If Eve did not say yes, she was going to scream. But she was not going to speed up until she heard the word ‘yes’, no matter how antsy her hips were getting.

Eve moaned, throwing her head to the side and somehow managing to nod at the same time. “Yes,” she said in case Villanelle missed the nod. “Yes, yes.”

Villanelle moved faster. Eve was making noise now and it spurred her on, and she pressed hard, and deep, and quick quick quick until Eve was coming.

The way Villanelle moved was an art form, filling her completely and then leaving a void, only to fill her again even sweeter. Her timing was calculated and precise, and she knew exactly when to speed up and slow down, and then everything was just fast, with no break, no give, no more change of pace, and she cried out, throwing her head back when Ville made her come.

A few minutes later, when Villanelle slid the cock out from between her legs and lay beside her, Eve marveled at the blush on her lover’s cheeks and the shy smile she got a quick glimpse of before Ville’s head was tucked against her neck, that beautiful face hiding. “Why are you shy?” she asked with a little laugh, running her fingers through Villanelle’s hair.

“Because I do not usually get unsure of myself during sex,” Villanelle said against her neck.

“I think it’s different when you love someone,” Eve said seriously, and apparently that was the thing to say because Villanelle stopped hiding and agreed with her.

“I think so too.”

“Oh, by the way, what I was trying to tell you earlier before I got wonderfully distracted was that we have official unofficial permission from Carolyn to proceed with Operation Shave Moustache.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for nasty, gory violence toward the end and Niko!death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is somewhat funny but then unapologetically gory at the end so plz to be skipping if you are ethical or squeamish.
> 
> I WAS BUSY TIL 2 AM LAST NIGHT SO I DID NOT WRITE THIS YESTERDAY SO SORRY lol but here it is

“Did you decide yet how you want to do it? We have like two hours to get there and an hour to do it while the guard is on break. You can pick locks, right?”

“Of course I can pick locks. And I thought maybe choking.”

Eve’s head snapped toward her. “No blood?”

“ _Eeeeve_.” Villanelle’s jaw dropped.

“Um...” Eve blushed.

“Do not be embarrassed, Eve. My monster really likes your monster right now. We can definitely do something bloody.” A thought occurred to her and she perked up, squirming in her seat. “What about Amsterdam?”

“Amsterdam?”

“Yes, when I waited for you to come visit me and you never came.”

“That was not my fault! Carolyn sent Jess even though I tried my damndest.”

“Even better, then. We will recreate Amsterdam now that we are together to punish Carolyn for keeping you away from me.”

Eve watched her lover get angry and then sad in the span of two seconds. “Baby?”

Villanelle stared at her lap. “I thought you had forgotten about me.” She started pulling at a loose thread on her T-shirt. She was wearing one of Eve’s shirts, actually. Her clothing would never have any loose threads.

“I could never forget about you, Villanelle.”

Villanelle nodded. “Konstantin was telling me you had forgotten all about me and were more interested in the Ghost, and I did not believe him at first, but he kept saying it, and then I sent you a postcard inviting you to my Amsterdam crime scene, and I waited for you across the street, but you did not come.”

Eve almost felt like crying. She pulled Villanelle into her arms and held tight. “I never got a postcard, baby. And I never forgot about you. I even tried to use Jess’s pregnancy to keep her from going in my place, but—Carolyn must have taken the postcard.” She growled. “That bitch! We are _so_ doing Amsterdam.”

Villanelle perked up again. “Really? You are going to let me disembowel the moustache and hang him upside down in his stupid little cell?”

“Yes.” She paused. “Do you think he knows we’re fucking?”

“I think anyone with a brain could figure that out?”

“Yeah, well I want to rub it in his smarmy face.”

“You want to fuck me in front of moustache?”

“Yeah.”

“My monster really _loves_ your monster right now, Eve.”

***

Villanelle wore sweat pants just in case Eve was serious about fucking her in front of moustache, because they would be easy to get into. She did not tell Eve that was why she wore them, she only said they were comfortable and allowed for the necessary range of movement to get moustache hanging from his cell ceiling.

They stopped at the hardware store for an industrial-strength chain pulley system that Villanelle was going to weld to the metal ceiling of Niko’s cell. “How long is this gonna take you to set up?” Eve asked as they loaded it into the car.

“A while,” Villanelle said. “We will have to incapacitate the guard instead of waiting for him to go to lunch. Unless I can get into the crawl space above the cells, and then I will have time to do it from up there. That is better. We will do that.”

“Okay, we’ll head over now then. Will an hour and a half be long enough?”

“It should be. Will you still want to fuck me when I am all sweaty and hot from working so hard?”

“Duh.”

Villanelle grinned.

“How loud is it gonna be? Will I need to distract the guard?”

“If he hears anything, he will think it is distant machinery. It will be fine. The part that will be loud is when I drill a hole through the top of the cell. But that will only take me five minutes, so we will wait until the guard goes to his break.”

***

Villanelle wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her arm for like the tenth time since she started. She was finally finished welding, and she put the equipment back into her duffle bag and texted Eve to let her know when the guard left for lunch. While she waited, she put batteries in the remote and synced it.

Eve got the text and replied that she was on the lookout. There was about five minutes until the guard was supposed to leave, so she was still in the car, waiting for him to come out of the building.

It seemed like forever but she finally saw him come out, and she texted Ville to start drilling. After the guard was gone, she got out of the car and went inside the building, stopping a few feet out of sight of Niko’s cell to wait for Villanelle. She heard the drill fire up and damn, that really was loud.

“What the fuck?” she heard Niko say, and covered her mouth to keep her laugh quiet.

Villanelle drilled a two-inch hole in the metal and dropped the hook down into the cell. She shoved her goggles in the duffle bag and grabbed it, heading back out of the crawl space the way she’d come in. It was a quick walk to Eve and she dropped the bag, kissing her lover.

“Hey, baby,” Eve whispered, kissing her back. “Can I have the gag?”

Villanelle purred and got out the ball gag she’d bought just for the occasion.

Eve stared at it. “Pokémon? Are you serious?” she hissed.

Villanelle shrugged and grabbed the rope and handcuffs, giving those to Eve as well. Her lockpicks were in her pocket and she pulled them out, sliding slowly over to Niko’s cell door.

“Ahh!” He screamed when he saw her. “Eve will never forgive you!” He already looked terrified.

Villanelle tutted at him and pursed her lips, giving a sideways glance to Eve. “Baby? He thinks you will never forgive me if I hurt him...”

“ _Baby_? What?”

Eve put the rope over her shoulder and stepped into view. Her eyes were slightly narrowed. “Hello, moustache.”

Villanelle cackled at the film noir tone of Eve’s voice.

“What the hell is this?” Niko asked, looking between the two of them. “What were you doing above my cell? What is that hook hanging there for?”

Villanelle got the lock open and slid the door sideways just enough for her and Eve to fit through. “An assassin is breaking into your cell and you ask what a hook is doing dangling from the ceiling? You must not be a very good maths teacher if you do not get four when you add two and two.”

She could tell he was trying not to look panicked, but she could practically smell his fear.

“Eve, are you seriously going to let her kill me?” he squeaked.

Eve followed Villanelle in and slid the heavy door shut behind her, then stared him down. “You hurt Villanelle,” she said, her eyes narrowing further. “You were dead to me the moment you put her in danger.”

“Oh, so what, you love her now?” Niko scoffed. “She’s a psychopath, Eve, she’ll kill you in your sleep! Wake up!”

Villanelle snarled. “Turn around, moustache.”

He didn’t.

She grabbed his arms and spun him, and Eve stepped forward, putting the handcuffs on his wrists. As expected, he screamed for help, and she shoved the fucking Pokémon ball gag into his mouth. Villanelle had to hold his head still so she could buckle it.

“Can’t have you screaming, moustache,” Villanelle said cheerily as Niko’s eyes bulged.

“Would you kill me in my sleep?” Eve asked Villanelle with a smirk.

“No, baby, not in your sleep,” Villanelle teased back. They kissed and Niko started making noises through his gag. “I guess he didn’t know,” she whispered in Eve’s ear.

“You look surprised,” Eve said to him. “You really didn’t figure out that we’re together?” She shook her head in mock disappointment and slipped out of the cell to grab the duffle bag.

Villanelle knocked him on his ass, then took the rope and uncoiled it, starting to wrap it around his ankles. Each one separately and then both together so he wouldn’t get loose. She tied it off and waited for Eve to get the duffle bag.

Eve hauled the bag back in and pulled the scissors out, handing them to Villanelle, and then put them back for her lover after the rope was cut.

Villanelle hummed happily as she pressed the button to lower the chain, stopping it a couple feet above the ground. She picked up moustache’s feet and attached the hook to the rope binding his ankles, then hit the button to raise the chain. When he was appropriately suspended, she stopped the motor and put the remote in the duffle. She ignored his frantic movements and muffled sounds through the gag and turned to Eve.

“If you really want to fuck me in front of him, you should do it now, because once his bowels come out he will die very quickly.”

Eve’s nostrils flared with anticipation and she moved closer to Ville, a smirk slowly forming as she realized something. “You wore sweats so I could get into your pants easy, didn’t you? Not for the alleged range of motion benefit.”

Villanelle’s eyes shone. “Guiltyyyyy.”

Eve laughed and pulled on her waistband, letting it snap back against her stomach.

“Ah!” Villanelle gasped, surprised, and then gave a low purr when Eve’s hand came back and slipped into her pants.

“No underwear? God, you’re naughty.” Eve’s fingers slipped, Ville was so wet, and she pushed two inside, knowing they were pressed for time.

Niko was flailing and trying to scream, but all that came out were grunts and girly little noises.

“You’re so wet,” Eve said, just to torture Niko.

“I like killing,” Villanelle said with a grin. The grin faded when Eve pushed hard into her and she bit her lip. “Yes...”

“You have two minutes to come,” Eve told her. “We don’t have all day.” She pushed in and out, rubbing Villanelle’s clit almost from the start, trying to work her up quickly.

Villanelle’s hips squirmed and she tilted her head back with a moan, grinding down onto Eve’s fingers. She was close.

“Do you smell her, Niko?” Eve asked, her voice an object of the macabre. “She smells like power.”

Aaaand, that was it. Villanelle cried out as she came, clenching her thighs around Eve’s hand and shuddering out her orgasm.

Eve pulled her hand out of Villanelle’s pants and lightly slapped her pussy.

Villanelle’s eyes went wide, her body going rigid, and why did Eve do that right now when she was supposed to be concentrating on _murder_? She squeaked her displeasure at the timing and bent to retrieve her knife from the bag, slowly straightening, still not quite over it. She couldn’t look at Eve as she made her way to their victim or she would drop the knife and lose her shit and they’d spend the whole time fucking instead of killing and that would not be okay.

Eve gave her a minute before joining her, and when Ville raised the knife, she laid her hand lightly over her lover’s so they could do this together, but she let Villanelle run the show.

Villanelle slowly carved up the moustache, making her artwork look exactly like the original – the original painting and her own original work in Amsterdam.

Eve thought she should probably feel something as blood and organs slid over their hands and down their arms, but she didn’t. Well, no, she did feel something, just not what she was supposed to feel if she wasn’t _like this_. She felt powerful, she felt excited, and she felt vengeful. He had hurt Villanelle. Nobody was allowed to hurt Villanelle.

Villanelle had wondered if Eve would gag or even vomit, but her girlfriend just stood beside her, watching. They were motionless, the two of them, occupying a void that existed between generally accepted reality and their own reality, and they just watched, silently, as Niko bled out.

It didn’t take long but it felt like forever, and when it was done, Eve felt a weight lift off her chest. He deserved it and she didn’t feel bad.

Finally Villanelle turned to her. “My monster _really loves_ your monster, Eve.”

Eve put her hands on Villanelle’s waist and kissed her. “Nobody is allowed to hurt you.”

Villanelle hummed in contentment. “That is so romantic.”

Eve pulled her hands back with a grimace. “Shit. Sorry about your shirt.”

Villanelle laughed and shouldered the duffle bag after dropping the knife back into it and pulling the zipper closed. “It’s your shirt.” And she ducked out of the cell, taking off down the hall at a run.

Eve snorted and followed her, never looking back.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is probably filthier than the last Daddy!kink chapter, but I'm not sure. See notes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featuring angry Carolyn literally using the terms murder wife and murder kink, and Daddy!Eve fingering Ville's asshole, so there's that.

As soon as they stepped in the door, Eve’s phone rang. She ignored it until she washed her hands, and when it rang again she fished it out of her pocket. Unknown number. Hmm. “Hello?”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Eve!”

Carolyn’s voice filtered through the line and she sounded aaaaaangry. Not sleepy angry, but fucking rip-your-head-off furious. She was actually screaming. “Are you calling me on a burner phone?”

“Why wouldn’t I call you on a burner phone? You’re a giant bloody liability so I’m not going to call you from my home bloody telephone, am I? What goes through your head, Eve?! Has Villanelle deranged you so much that you can’t bloody think straight?! I said no one would miss him, Eve, but it’s pretty bloody hard to miss a bloody fucking corpse hanging upside down in a cell with his bloody fucking organs scattered about the floor and some bloody fucking mechanical contraption that you and your bloody fucking murder wife WELDED TO MY JAIL CELL! Do you have any idea the red tape I am going to be wading through because of your murder kink?! I’ve got Helen up my arse, I’ve got Hugh up my arse, I’ve got a bloody fucking guard taking paid leave to deal with PTSD after finding that bloody fucking massacre when he came back from lunch! I also have to replace his sandwich because he promptly vomited it all over the floor and did not get to enjoy the digestive process. A sandwich, Eve. Corned beef. With mustard. And lettuce, I believe, though who puts lettuce on corned beef, really? The point is, Eve, that you have fucked me in the arse, you and Villanelle, and I am angry, and I hate being angry, Eve, do you bloody fucking understand me?!”

Eve could literally hear the spittle spewing out of Carolyn’s mouth while she was screaming loud enough for Villanelle to cringe and disappear into the bedroom to avoid the sound. She was quiet for a few seconds to make sure Carolyn was done talking before she replied. “Did you steal my postcard?”

Carolyn hung up.

Eve tossed her phone on the sofa and wandered into the bedroom. Ville’s clothes were strewn over the floor in a path from the bed to the bathroom and she could hear the shower running. She stripped off and joined her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around Villanelle from behind and nuzzling her chin onto Ville’s shoulder. “She’s mad.”

Villanelle snorted and tilted her head to the side to make room for Eve’s chin. “Yeah.”

Eve grinned and kissed Ville’s shoulder. “She called you my murder wife.”

Villanelle outright laughed at that and turned around, pressing herself against Eve.

“And she said we have a murder kink.”

That did not make it any easier for Villanelle to stop laughing. “Carolyn is not wrong,” she managed to say.

“No, she’s not, is she?” Eve asked, lifting her head for a kiss. “Then she said you and I have fucked her in the ass and she’s going to be buried in red tape forever because of us.”

Villanelle’s face clearly showed her disgust. “How crude.”

Eve barked out a laugh. “Oh, please. You’re calling someone else crude? Which part, the red tape or the ass fucking?”

She watched in amazement as Villanelle blushed. Right there in their ridiculously luxurious shower with one of those rainbow waterheads, right before her eyes, Villanelle was blushing.

“It’s the ass fucking, isn’t it?” she asked. Villanelle was never stunned silent. She had good reactions and bad reactions to things, she walked away sometimes or yelled, or laughed or said something sarcastic, but she never just stood there blushing and saying _nothing_. “You’ve never done it,” Eve realized aloud.

“ _Eve_!” Villanelle spun away from her and grabbed the shampoo, getting a quick lather into her hair so she didn’t have to continue this interrogation. “Leave me alone, I am trying to wash my hair and you are interrupting.”

Eve bit her cheek to keep from laughing, but really, Villanelle could be the most adorable fucking person on the planet sometimes. She waited until Ville rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, and then she wrapped one arm around her middle, holding her girlfriend against her. She brushed Ville’s hair away from her neck and traced the extremely stimulating tattoo with one fingernail. “You know what I’m gonna say, right baby?” she whispered against the shell of Ville’s ear.

Villanelle shuddered but shook her head stubbornly. “Of course not, Eve. I am not a mind reader. If you are looking for that in a partner you should send a request to the X-Men.”

“And now you’re covering your nerves with sarcastic humor,” Eve said, nipping at her ear. “But I know you know what I’m gonna say.”

Villanelle shook her head again. “No,” she insisted. “I don’t know.”

“Still playing naïve? Okay. I can work with that.” She tightened her arm around Villanelle’s middle and dropped her voice to a positively indecent pitch. “Before you get out of this shower, I will have fingered your ass, baby.”

Villanelle made a choked noise that was the exact opposite pitch of Eve’s low voice, and she went limp in Eve’s hold for a second before she got her feet under her and tried to wriggle away. Her safeword was on the tip of her tongue, but... why? Why didn’t she want to try it? Was there another reason besides embarrassment at the entire subject? “Eve,” she finally whined. “What if you don’t like it?”

“I’ve done it before, baby,” Eve said. “The only one of us who might not like it is you. And if you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

Villanelle has had a lot of sex in her life. Like, a lot. Probably way more than Eve. But, she realized as they stood in the shower discussing this, the sex she has had was not very adventurous. It had always been a means to an end. Hard and fast, not always very creative, just because she needed an orgasm. So she had never had a reason to explore things, because exploring came when you had sex with someone more than once, and Eve is the first person Villanelle has had sex with more than once. The pieces were starting to fit together and instead of just nerves, she was starting to feel a little bit of excitement. “Okay,” she said.

“No safewords, baby, just say no or stop if you don’t like it and I’ll stop.” Eve squeezed her tight and kissed her tattoo, then slowly released the arm from around her. “Put your hands on the wall.”

Villanelle licked her lips and stepped forward, stretching her arms up and then settling them on the wall on either side of her head.

“Good girl,” Eve purred, stepping forward after her and running her hands up and down Ville’s sides. “This is just about seeing if it feels good to you, okay? I’m not gonna do it for very long. If you like it, I’ll know I can do it any time we’re intimate, and it will be more natural and we’ll feel less pressured. So I’m not trying for anything here, not trying to make you come or fuck you into a frenzy, we’re just trying it out.”

Villanelle nodded. That sounded very good to her. “I like that idea,” she said quietly. Somehow that really did feel like less pressure and she relaxed a little. She stiffened right back up though when Eve’s hand smoothed across one of her bottom cheeks. She tried to make herself relax again, with little success.

“It’s gonna feel a little uncomfortable at first, but it shouldn’t hurt, okay baby?” Eve let one finger dip between Ville’s cheeks and rub in little circles, getting her used to having something back there.

Villanelle’s breath caught and when she exhaled and breathed back in, the rhythm was already ragged. Eve’s finger was rubbing her asshole and that was so _naughty_. Naughtier than anything else she could think of right now.

Eve’s finger disappeared for a second and when it came back it was slippery... not like wet from the shower... that was something _else_. “What is that?”

“My natural lube,” Eve said with a smirk.

Villanelle almost dropped her forehead against the tile but she didn’t want to get a headache. “This is the naughtiest thing ever,” she groaned. But then Eve’s finger was pressing inside and it was even naughtier, and it was weird, and Eve had been right that it would be uncomfortable. It was very uncomfortable and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but then Eve’s finger was in further and it was less uncomfortable and actually very nice.

“How are you doing, baby?” Eve checked in, dropping kisses across both of Villanelle’s shoulders and all of the individual letters of her tattoo.

“Yes,” Villanelle said before realizing it wasn’t a yes or no question. “Good. I am good. Thank you for checking in with me, Eve.” She would never be upset if Eve checked in too much. She would never get annoyed by that again, not after their conversation at the tattoo studio. Now when Eve checked in it made her chest glow and her pulse flutter.

“Is it okay for me to start moving?”

Villanelle’s eyes tried to roll back in her head. “Yes.” That one was a yes or no question, and yes, she was ready for Eve to start moving.

Eve pulled out a little and pushed back in, gentle but firm.

Villanelle gasped and curled her fingers into the tile. “Daddy,” she said before she even thought about her words. She had no idea where that came from at the moment.

Eve nearly fell over. But she recovered quickly. “You’re Daddy’s good girl, aren’t you, my little star?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Villanelle was breathless.

“So good for me,” Eve purred, pulling out a little further this time and pressing back in smoothly. “Such a good girl, letting me play with your asshole, aren’t you, baby? Letting Daddy teach you something new.”

Villanelle moaned. “Yes, Daddy.” She could barely speak. This was turning her on so much that she really didn’t know how she was still standing up. “Yes, Daddy, I want to be good, and I like it when you teach me new things.” She pressed back lightly into Eve’s finger.

Thrilled with Villanelle’s responsiveness, Eve started up a slow rhythm, in and out without stopping now, but still gentle and sweet. “Such a good girl...” Eve kissed her shoulder and moved her finger around a little, staying inside and exploring, since Villanelle was reacting so positively.

Villanelle moaned again and it ended in a whimper. “That feels so good, Daddy, thank you...”

Villanelle was going to kill her. “You’re welcome, my little star. You’re so sweet and beautiful and sexy.” She bit down lightly on Ville’s shoulder. “You’re making me so excited, baby. Do you think we can fit a second finger in there?”

Oh God. “Yes, Daddy, please,” she begged, Eve’s words fueling her almost as much as the feeling in her ass. “Please, Daddy, can I have another finger?”

“Where, baby? Where do you want it?” Eve’s breathing was getting as ragged as Villanelle’s.

She didn’t know what term to use, but she didn’t think Eve would mind if she chose wrong. “My bottom, Daddy. Please.”

Eve was so wet it was ridiculous. She used her free hand to gather some of it and smeared it across her middle finger, then very carefully eased her middle finger in alongside the first.

Villanelle clawed at the wall, wondering why in the holy fuck she had never done this before, but then she was glad she hadn’t because she liked having first times with Eve. “Daddyyyyyy...” It was a long, drawn-out groan, and having two fingers wasn’t even uncomfortable at first, it was just _good_. So good.

Eve was still careful as she started to move in and out. It was tight and hot and slick and Villanelle’s moaning was driving her fucking crazy and making her have to remind herself to go slow.

“Daddy, can I bend over?” Villanelle asked, eyeing the corner of the shower that had a spot to sit.

“Yes, baby, yes yes,” Eve said, focused on self-control.

Villanelle used the back of one arm to swipe all of her shower products out of her way and bent forward, bracing her palms on the edge of the seat. Eve’s fingers went deeper and she dropped down further, to her elbows.

Eve hadn’t planned on trying to make her come, but things had taken quite the unexpected turn and Jesus Christ how hot was her girlfriend bent over like that? “Baby, can you rub yourself for me and make yourself come while I concentrate on making your bottom feel good?”

Villanelle’s breath rushed out and she nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”

It didn’t take long.

Villanelle was a shuddering mess after she came, and Eve slowly slid her fingers out, making quick work of washing her hands so she could pull her lover into an embrace.

Villanelle whined at the loss, feeling so empty, and melted into Eve’s arms when they were offered. “Wow.”

“I’m gonna agree with that. Wow.”

“I had literally no idea what I was missing.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I like being your first.”

Villanelle purred and put her arms around Eve. “I love it when you are my first.”


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we have Konstantin flipping out over the tattoo, Carolyn not flipping out over the tattoo, and office sex with Ville having to be quiet.

It took Carolyn an entire week to calm down enough to be willing to allow Eve or Villanelle onto MI6 property for a briefing on Villanelle’s next job.

Villanelle was perfectly behaved for the entire meeting. Eve was shocked as hell and so proud she was pretty sure several people wondered why she was smiling so much. _Well_ , she wanted to tell them, _it’s because Villanelle came in on time, sat down, listened, did not speak out of turn, did not fidget in her chair, did not throw anything at anyone, did not draw purposeful attention to herself, did not spin in her chair or roll her chair around the room, did not make any noises, did not roll her eyes, did not assault anyone, did not try to touch Eve, did not laugh at anything that wasn’t funny, did not take any of her clothes off, and did not leave the meeting early._

“Baby,” she said when it was just the two of them left in the briefing room. “Do you have any idea how proud I am of you right now?”

Villanelle’s heart skipped. “For behaving in the meeting?” she asked.

“For more than behaving. You were so fucking good, Ville, like... God, I’m just really proud.” Villanelle looked like she was in danger of floating away. “I literally could not have asked for you to be any better than you were.”

Konstantin came back in to ask Eve something and shrieked when he saw the back of Villanelle’s neck. “What is this?!” He rushed forward and tried to rub it off, and when it wouldn’t come off he started screaming in Russian. The only word Eve could make out was asshole.

Villanelle batted at his hands and spun the chair to face him, her nose crinkling in disgust. “Stop speaking Russian; Eve cannot understand you. It’s rude.”

“Okay! You crazy fucking assholes, what this is? How do you have this words on your body?”

He was so upset he was butchering his English. Villanelle was amused, but also annoyed. Her lip curled up in a snarl. “Stop freaking out. Did you hear the part where you said _your_ body? That is right, it is my body. _Mine_. And Eve’s,” she added just to watch him turn more red.

Eve was not touching this with a ten-foot pole. Nope.

Carolyn came in, clearly concerned about the screaming. “What’s going on?”

Konstantin’s voice had passed the high mark and entered into shrill territory. “Look at this shit she have on her body!” He waved his hands toward Villanelle.

Villanelle obligingly turned the chair around so Carolyn could see the tattoo, then turned it around again.

“What’s the problem?” she said to Konstantin, as if he’d just called her in to tell her that he thought candy was disgusting. “Everyone knows Villanelle belongs to Eve. Do catch up.” And she left.

“She doesn’t bel—” Eve started to protest but Villanelle pinched her and she shut up. She forgot, Villanelle wanted everyone to think she was her property even though they both knew that wasn’t accurate. And Carolyn was gone anyway. “Why are you so upset about it, honestly?” Eve asked Konstantin. “I’m really asking, not being an asshole.”

Konstantin deflated at that question and sank down into one of the chairs. “I don’t know,” he said, and he was quiet for a few minutes before he continued. “She has always been my responsibility. It is like... my little girl growing up. She have you, she don’t need me anymore. This tattoo make that permanent.”

Eve held her breath and looked at Villanelle. That could get explosive anger, condescending taunting, or... maybe, just maybe, Villanelle would showcase some of the emotional growth she’d been experiencing and be sincere. Looking at her face, Eve had no idea which was going to come out.

Villanelle was holding her breath too. A biting, sarcastic response was on the tip of her tongue when she caught sight of Eve, whom she did not want to disappoint, and she remembered Audrey’s words, fake it til you make it. So she shrugged. “It is a different kind of relationship. Belonging to Eve does not mean I don’t need you anymore.” She didn’t need him, but she was going to get the hang of this interpersonal thing come hell or high water. The stupid grin on his face almost made her change her mind, but no. Fake it til you make it, and Eve looked even more proud of her now so yes, this was the right decision. She has said the right thing.

Eve knew exactly how much Villanelle didn’t want to need anyone, but her lover said it so convincingly that it even made her question it, and the whole thing was masterful.

Konstantin was pretty sure Villanelle was lying, but that didn’t even matter to him. What mattered to him was that she said it, and he was impressed. Being with Eve was so, so good for Villanelle in so many ways. He would never want that relationship to end. He had just had that fatherly moment of existential panic when he’d seen the tattoo. “Okay.” He laughed at himself. “I guess I will stop freaking out.”

“Like a teenage girl,” Villanelle added in a mutter.

Eve pressed her lips tightly together to keep in her own bark of laughter.

***

After MI6 they went to the Bitter Pill so Eve could start planning the op and Villanelle could read her new file.

Villanelle hadn’t been there since Eve had yelled at her, and she tried her very best not to interrupt while Eve was working. She wandered over to Audrey and sat on the girl’s desk. “I took your advice and it worked out well.”

“So you’re not going to kill me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Eve would never let me kill anyone she works with over bad advice. It was good   
advice, though.”

“Are you trying to say thank you?”

Villanelle sneered a little and enjoyed the look of apprehension it caused. She did not want people to get too complacent, after all. She may be on Eve’s leash, but she was still every bit as deadly as they feared.

Mmm. Eve’s leash. She got distracted picturing that and wow, maybe she would have to have a talk about that with Eve. One hand absently stroked the front of her throat as if an invisible weight had settled there.

“Are you okay?” came a somewhat hesitant voice somewhere in front of her.

She blinked out of her fantasy and focused her eyes on Audrey. “Oh. Yes, I am fine. I was thinking about Eve leading me around on a leash.”

A pencil dropped and two keyboards went silent. Villanelle guessed that meant everyone had just heard her. She hadn’t intended it that way, but she couldn’t say she was disappointed, either.

“What?” she asked the room at large. “I said I was fine.”

Eve resisted the urge to groan. “Villanelle, come here.”

Villanelle looked at Audrey as she slid off the girl’s desk. “Oops. Daddy’s calling, I should go. Nice chat. Thanks for the advice.” She winked and turned, making her way to Eve. “Yes, Eve?”

“Leading you around on a leash?”

“Yes, Eve. I am your property, so that only seems a logical extension of parameters, does it not?”

Eve groaned. “If you were my property you’d be sitting silently in a corner somewhere. Property doesn’t talk.” She knew she’d made a mistake when she caught the mischievous glint of a challenge in Ville’s eyes.

Villanelle popped a finger between her teeth and chewed coyly, and then without a word she walked over to the closest corner and settled down into it, mouth closed. And she sat like that until lunch, every minute that ticked by making her wetter.

It was almost harder to work with a silent Villanelle huddled in the corner than it was with Ville constantly pestering her. The longer Villanelle was quiet, the more turned on Eve got, and she was thanking her lucky stars when lunch rolled around. “Come here.”

Villanelle grinned, her panties uncomfortable now as she slowly got to her feet and approached Eve. “Yes, Eve?”

Eve nodded at her lap. “Sit down.”

Villanelle swished her wide trouser legs and sat with a flourish. “Yes, Eve,” she said from her new position, her mouth right by Eve’s ear.

Eve scooted the chair forward so their legs were under the desk. “Undo your belt.”

Villanelle’s breath caught, her eyes going wide, and she didn’t even dare look at Eve as she moved her hands to the delicate buckle of her belt, working it free.

“Button,” Eve said.

Villanelle’s eyelids fluttered and she undid the button.

“Zipper.”

She held in a groan, lowering her zipper.

“If you make any noise, I’ll stop.”

Villanelle bit her lip and shook her head, a silent promise to be quiet.

The other three knew what was happening whether Villanelle made any noise or not, but that wasn’t the point. Eve slid her hand into her lover’s panties and her fingers slipped. She clenched her jaw to keep quiet, not wanting to be a hypocrite, and slowly slid one finger into Ville’s drenched cunt. Villanelle squirmed on her lap but didn’t make a sound, and that all-consuming power started to bubble up in Eve’s chest at the way her girl followed orders.

Villanelle’s heart was racing and she couldn’t believe Eve was doing this to her at work. It wasn’t as naughty as last week in the shower, but it was pretty naughty. Which of course meant the same as thrilling for Villanelle.

“You like this,” Eve breathed into her ear, curling and pressing her finger everywhere. “You like having to be quiet while I fuck you under my desk in front of three people who know exactly what I’m doing but are too polite to complain... or too afraid of you to complain...”

Yes, Villanelle liked it. She nodded, squirming around again, unable to hold still with Eve’s finger moving like that. But Eve didn’t admonish her or ask her to stop.

Villanelle was doing what she asked, being quiet, so Eve let her move. She liked the squirming, actually, because it was testament to the fact that her touch was _so_ pleasing to Villanelle that she couldn’t stay still. She still marveled sometimes that she was able to bring out these reactions in this woman, but for the most part she had just accepted it as fact and didn’t much dwell on it anymore.

She moved slow, wanting to give Villanelle a gentle orgasm, a lapping tide instead of a crashing of waves on sharp rocks. “Can you be quiet when you come, baby?” she asked.

Villanelle almost whimpered at the question but caught herself just in time, dropping her head to stare at the desk after a quick nod.

Eve almost called her a good girl, but that wouldn’t be fair, to expect her not to moan at her favorite words, so she held it back for the moment. She pushed lazily in and out for a bit longer and then dragged some wetness up to Ville’s clit, rubbing in slow, soft circles. It took a little more time than usual, but she got her lover there, Villanelle’s thighs tightening around her hand and a gentle shudder shaking her girl’s body.

It was delicious, for Villanelle. Such an insidious orgasm, starting slow and sneaking tendrils of pleasure through her groin and belly and up into her chest and down both of her legs. It was soft; slow; sweet. Not the mind-blowing kind of climax but the kind that builds you up and floats you down instead of sending you headlong over a cliff. Every nerve ending tingled even after it ended, a small little aftershock riding through her, vibrating out from the center, and then she was still. Satisfied. Sated. It was interesting how such a subtle thing could be so fucking blissful.

Eve slid her hand out of Villanelle’s pants and wiped her finger on her own, not wanting to smudge up those designer slacks. Now, she said it. Right into Villanelle’s ear. “Good girl.”


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a fluffy little chapter in preparation for the heaviness the next chapter is going to be.
> 
> OR
> 
> Eve and Villanelle get ready to go to a dungeon.

“Ville?”

“Yes?”

“C’mere.”

Villanelle padded into the living room and flopped down next to Eve on the sofa.

“Hi, baby,” Eve said, leaning over to kiss her. “Look at this and tell me what you think.” She nodded toward her laptop on the coffee table.

Villanelle lazily swung her gaze over to the laptop, and then suddenly all thoughts of lazy were gone and she snatched it up, putting it in her lap for a closer look. “Is this where you want to take me?” she asked, amazed.

“If you like it.”

“It’s beautiful.” She ran her fingers over the screen almost reverently.

Maybe most couples would be talking about a Caribbean vacation this way, but what Villanelle was currently staring at was an upscale, gorgeous dungeon. Eve had spent the better part of an hour looking through websites, trying to decide which she liked best and which she thought Ville would like best, and apparently she had chosen well.

“There will be people watching you whip me?” Villanelle asked, eyes still glued to the screen.

Eve loved watching her lover watch things, because Villanelle’s eyes always spoke about a hundred times more than her mouth – which spoke a lot itself. “If that’s what we decide, yes.”

“There will be people watching us have sex?”

Eve watched her eyes darken and seem to swirl. Her fingers were still gently tracing the equipment pictured on the laptop screen. “Yes.”

Villanelle’s fingers twitched. She carefully leaned over and set the laptop back down on the coffee table so she didn’t end up breaking it. “Can we go right now?”

Eve laughed. “It’s before noon on a Sunday.”

Villanelle shot her a look. “This is not the middle ages, _Eve_. Things are allowed to be open on Sundays.”

“But it is Europe, _Villanelle_ , and things are more traditional than you might think.”

Villanelle rolled her eyes and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I will just call and see which one of us is right.”

“You do that,” Eve said, kissing her nose, and then wandering to the bedroom to look for something to wear just in case.

***

It turned out they were both right, in a way. The dungeon was open on Sundays, but not until nighttime.

Villanelle having to wait all afternoon and evening was a fucking nightmare. For Eve.

“How long are you going to make me _stand_ here?” Villanelle complained from the corner.

“Until you’ve been quiet for ten consecutive minutes.”

“I’ve already been standing here for an _hour_!”

“And you have yet to be quiet for ten consecutive minutes.”

“I should be getting ready!”

Eve stood up. “Villanelle!” She finally raised her voice and Villanelle stopped talking. She ran her hands over her face and sighed, an apology on the tip of her tongue, but Christ, Villanelle was trying her patience. She knew her lover was just full of nervous excitement, which was adorable, but she had drawn the line at Ville throwing every single pair of shoes out of the closet and refusing to put _any_ back, and had put her in the corner. An hour ago. And they still had two and a half hours before the dungeon opened. She wasn’t sure she would survive it.

Ten merciful quiet minutes passed and Eve looked over at a slightly bouncing Villanelle. “You can come out of the corner and go straight to the bedroom and put every single pair of shoes back where it belongs.” That should take fifteen minutes and then there would only be two hours and five minutes to go. She found herself breaking down time into chunks in these moments with Ville. God, she loved this woman.

Villanelle sighed dramatically and trudged to the bedroom, staring at the pile of shoes that she now wished she hadn’t made, but she was looking for a certain pair – which she had found, thank you for asking. She set the coveted pair aside and began the laborious process of locating matches within the heap and placing them back on the shoe racks.

It actually took Villanelle almost twenty-five minutes to finish putting away the shoes. An hour and fifty-five to go.

“Okay, _Eve_ , I have cleaned up my mess. Can we get ready now?”

“Baby, we need to eat dinner before we get dressed. Come over here.”

Villanelle shuffled over, eyeing the stove. She wasn’t all that hungry. No, she didn’t think that could be true. Probably just her fluttery nerves were covering up her hunger. She was ready for Eve to scold her about something _else_ , but Eve hugged her instead and she purred, hugging back.

“Dinner is basically ready. Sit down and have a nice meal with me, and then I promise we can start getting ready. Okay?”

Villanelle hummed appreciatively and breathed in the scent of Eve’s skin. “Okay.”

***

Villanelle looked fucking gorgeous. Not that this was a change, because she was a gorgeous woman, but she looked especially delicious right now. Black slacks, shimmery low-cut long-sleeved blouse, hair pulled into a sleek bun at the top of her head – for two reasons. One, to keep it out of the way of the flogger, and two, because Villanelle didn’t want anything covering her tattoo. She never wanted anything covering that tattoo and Eve loved it.

The rest of her ensemble was small diamond stud earrings and low-heeled pumps. Eve literally wanted to throw her to the floor and fuck her before they even got out of the apartment, but that simply wasn’t happening.

She had chosen a similar outfit herself, but her slacks were grey and her blouse wasn’t low cut or shimmery or long sleeved. It was nice, but understated. She could tell Villanelle approved by the look in her lover’s eyes.

Villanelle thought Eve looked breathtaking all dressed up like that. She sat on her hands while Eve finished her makeup to avoid pawing and grabbing. 

Something occurred to Eve and when she finished her makeup she went and sat next to Ville on the sofa. “So... after your little announcement the other day, I may or may not have gotten a collar made for you, but—”

Villanelle screamed.

“What?” Eve looked around frantically, but there was nothing. She looked back to Villanelle. “What the fuck, baby?”

Villanelle put her index finger between her teeth and bit down until she almost drew blood, then relaxed. “Nothing. Please continue.”  
Eve stared. “What...” She trailed off and shook her head. She was probably better off not knowing. Villanelle was prone to bursts of unpredictable behavior when she was excited. “But if you wear it, it’ll cover part of your tattoo.”

Villanelle let out a quiet sound of distress. “That is a really horrible decision to have to make, Eve,” she said, scooting closer to Eve so she could lean into her.

“If we keep the collar loose it might sit low enough that it won’t cover much...”

“Yes, let’s do that,” she breathed, her eyes burning at the thought of it. “Eve, thank you, for getting me a collar,” she said, leaning even closer, pressing her lips to Eve’s throat in a show of gratitude. She liked that Eve had listened to something she wanted, even if they hadn’t had a whole conversation about it, and then gone and gotten it for her all on her own. That kind of thoughtfulness was so foreign to her before she met Eve, and now she didn’t know how she’d ever managed without it. Eve gave her the warmest feelings in her chest and the most treasured sense of belonging. It was still strange, but it was amazing.

“It’s pink leather and satin with gunmetal hardware, and it’s got a locking buckle with a pretty little padlock so you can’t take it off, if we decide to lock it on.”

“Eve, you will have to stop talking now if we are going to leave this apartment,” Villanelle said, nostrils flaring with the effort not to strip off her elegant clothes right there.

Eve saw the twitch of Ville’s hands out of the corner of her eye and gently took hold of both her wrists. “It has a gunmetal V on the front, too. I ordered that part custom.” She squeezed Villanelle’s wrists when she felt her lover try to reach for her. “And there’s a matching three-foot leash.”

Villanelle moaned and shuddered, clenching her thighs as a spark rolled through her. “Please can we go now, Eve?”

“Do you want to wear the collar and leash?” Eve asked. “I have to get it from under my side of the bed.”

Villanelle just nodded, then watched Eve disappear into the bedroom, and when Eve came back holding the collar and leash, she grabbed the sofa cushion and dug her fingers in.

“Do you want it locked?”

Villanelle’s eyes rolled back a little. “Yes, please.”

Eve sat down and motioned at the floor in front of her. “Okay baby, get on your knees.”

Villanelle breathed out slow and slid off the sofa to kneel in front of Eve. When the collar closed around her neck she gasped, her eyes seeking Eve’s, needing to share the moment.

Eve felt how powerful the moment was and when Villanelle looked up at her, she looked back, and they both breathed together for a few seconds. “How do you feel?”

“Wet,” Villanelle said, closing her eyes.

Eve snickered. “Nice, Ville.” She clipped the padlock onto the buckle and attached the key to her keyring so it wouldn’t get lost. It was a very small key so she didn’t want to chance putting it in a pocket and having it disappear. She clipped the leash onto the O-ring that hung below the polished metal V at the front of the collar and then gave an experimental tug as she stepped backwards, watching with delight as Villanelle was jerked forward onto her hands and knees. “Okay, that’s fucking hot,” she said. “Come on, let’s go, baby.”

Villanelle got up and then, _finally_ , they were out the door and heading for their transport.


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Villanelle ends up hurting her wrists pulling on her ropes. It is not purposeful self-harm but could be triggering.
> 
> Villanelle learns a few different lessons. (And yes this is the 4-day--anticipated dungeon scene.)

Eve could see the partition going up as they approached the car, and she would’ve bet money it was because of Villanelle on a leash. She snickered to herself and got in, tugging the leash lightly once Villanelle was next to her with the door shut.

Villanelle was trying to get used to the slight restriction or propulsion of movement associated with walking on a leash that was held by someone else. She did not want to lose her balance and embarrass herself, or worse, embarrass Eve.

“We should talk about your limits in public,” Eve said as the car got going.

“What do you mean?” Villanelle leaned closer and snuggled up to Eve’s arm.

“What do you not want me to do to you at the dungeon?”

“What?” Villanelle scrunched her brows. “You can do anything, just like home. I have my safety word.”

“Yeah, but having a safe word doesn’t mean you don’t get to also have limits,” Eve said, staring down at her where she was snuggled.

“But I don’t have limits,” Villanelle said.

“W—b—so you’re saying I can fuck your ass in public? Have you naked with your legs spread so everyone can see your cunt? Uh, make you blow me? Slap you? None of that would bother you in front of other people?”

Villanelle did not understand. “Why would it?” She considered for a moment. “Does it bother most people?”

“Well I don’t know,” Eve said, staring at Villanelle in awe.

“Eve,” Villanelle said, relinquishing her hold on Eve’s arm so she could sit up and look at her properly. “I would let you make me do anything.” She held Eve’s gaze. “If you want me on my knees crying and begging you for things, I will do that, and it will make me wet. There is not anything I can think of that I would not enjoy for you to make me do, but if we are in the middle of something and I decide I do not like it, I will use my safety word.”

Eve loved that no matter how many times she said safe word, Villanelle still always called it her safety word. “Wow. Okay, baby. I trust that you know yourself well enough, so I’ll just do whatever the fuck I want with you,” she finally said with a wicked little cackle. “Do you want to know ahead of time what I have planned?”

Villanelle shrugged. “This is up to you. I do not mind knowing or not knowing.”

“Is there anything you especially _want_ me to do tonight?”

“I hope you will spank me over your lap... and I have wanted you to use that flogger again. I am also hoping you will fuck me. I want everyone to watch you fuck me. But—” She paused and peered at Eve from under her thickly painted lashes. “But I...”

Eve waited patiently, taking one of Ville’s hands and stroking the back of it with her thumb.

“Okay. I want everyone to watch you fuck me, but I don’t want you to let me come until later when we are at home.”

Eve nearly exploded. “You are literally the hottest person on the planet.” 

Villanelle grinned, her brief moment of shyness forgotten in the face of Eve’s reaction. “I think we will have to agree to disagree on that,” she said with a wink.

The car came to a stop a few minutes later and Eve felt Villanelle shiver beside her. “If anyone touches you, don’t break their hand,” she said as they got out. “You have to tell me and let me break it for you, okay?”

Villanelle almost tripped getting out. “ _Eve_ ,” she complained. “You cannot say things like that to me when I am trying to get out of a vehicle while I am on your leash. It is very awkward.”

“Well I forgot to say it sooner,” Eve said, shutting the door. “But you will, right? Nobody should touch you, but if they do, tell me immediately and I’ll handle it. If you hurt anyone directly, we’ll go straight home.”

Villanelle’s jaw dropped, the air leaving her lungs all at once. “You do not need to threaten me,” she said with a pout.

“No?” Eve asked, raising a skeptical brow.

Villanelle’s pout fizzled out. “Well... yes.”

“That’s what I thought. Are you ready?”

Villanelle had done some research on her phone before the shoe/corner incident, and she thought she had learned something Eve would like. She stepped closer and lowered her eyes, feeling Eve’s gaze still on her, and she spoke very quietly. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Eve grabbed her by the collar. “You—” She took a breath and forced her hand to relax, petting Ville’s throat instead of white knuckling the leather that circled it. “If you call me that, you have to call me that all night, Ville. Are you sure you want that? You’ll be punished if you slip up.”

Eve’s reaction was very promising. It amazed Villanelle that one simple word could provoke such a visceral response. She kept her eyes lowered. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

***

Villanelle kept an almost bruising grip on Eve’s arm as they stepped inside.

They were in a curtained-off area with a registration table to the left and lockers to the right.

Villanelle squawked, but thankfully it was a very quiet squawk, and her nails dug into Eve’s arm.

“I do not want to see _penises_ , Eve!” she hissed in a whisper.

Eve turned around and grabbed her by the face. “What did you just call me? After I asked if you were sure?”

Villanelle realized her mistake and her eyes went a little wide. Eve’s thumb was digging into her jaw and it was particularly delicious. “Ma’am,” she said quickly.

“I’m gonna ask you again if you’re sure. It’s okay if you want to call me Eve, I’ll never have a problem with that, baby. But if you decide I am Ma’am tonight and you call me Eve one more time, I _will_ punish you, Villanelle. So, I am asking again. Are you sure you want me to be Ma’am tonight?”

Villanelle swallowed, weighing her options. She wanted it. And if she messed up, Eve could punish her. She would understand and she would not be upset with Eve. “I am sure,” she finally said.

“Okay then. If you forget again, I will slap this pretty face so hard your teeth will rattle. Understand?”

How could she understand when she couldn’t even breathe? That was definitely an exaggeration because she could feel her chest rising and falling so there was air getting in. But she most definitely felt like she wasn’t breathing. It took her several long seconds to collect herself enough to speak. “Yes, Ma’am, I understand.” Oh, her voice was very raspy.

“And if you keep your eyes on the floor and walk close behind me, you won’t have to worry about seeing any penises,” Eve said, finally letting go of Villanelle’s face and tugging the leash to get her moving toward the registration table. She paid the fee for both of them and showed their IDs, and rented a locker for their purses.

“If you’ll each sign a waiver at the end of the table, then you’re free to enter,” the registrar said with a smile.

“Waiver for what?”

Eve’s head snapped around. “Don’t speak,” she said incredulously and watched Villanelle understand.

Villanelle’s cheeks got hot and she stared at the carpet, hoping Eve wasn’t too embarrassed by her. “I’m sorry, Ma’am,” she murmured so only Eve could hear her.

Eve gave her a discrete squeeze on the hip to let her know it was okay as they moved to the end of the table and glanced over the waivers, then each signed one.

Eve clipped the locker key onto her keyring and clipped her keyring onto her belt loop so she wouldn’t have to hold her keys. They put their purses into their rented locker and Eve made sure it was locked before they walked away.

When she was about to push the curtain aside she felt Ville tug on her arm. She moved out of the way so she wasn’t blocking the entrance and turned to look at her girl. “What’s wrong, baby?”

Villanelle pressed herself even closer to Eve. “I do _not_ want to embarrass you,” she said quietly, her cheeks still burning. “You have already had to scold me twice before we have even gone inside.”

“And this is your first time in a dungeon so I will probably have to scold you a dozen more times, and that’s okay, Ville,” Eve promised. “That won’t make me embarrassed of you, at all.”

“Are you sure?” Villanelle asked, biting her lip.

“I’m sure,” Eve said, kissing her forehead. “Listen, baby... how about if we save the Ma’am part for another time? I don’t want you so worried about forgetting what to call me that you can’t lose yourself in the things we’re gonna be doing. And I want you to be able to be yourself, especially for your first time playing in public. Is that okay?”

Villanelle let out a shaky breath. “I love you, Eve,” she whispered. Those were the only words that could describe how she was feeling right at this moment.

“I love you too, Villanelle,” Eve said, pulling her into a hug. “And I love that you looked up some things on your own that you want to try with me, I really love that. Are you ready to go in or do you want to go sit down outside and talk some more?”

“I’m ready,” Villanelle said. “You made me feel much better. Thank you, Eve. Thank you for loving me so much.”

“I think it would be impossible not to,” Eve said, giving her a brief, gentle kiss. And then they traversed the boundary from registration room to dungeon.

  
“That is a very heavy curtain,” Villanelle noted as she stuck close enough to Eve to be continually almost tripping them both.

Eve didn’t comment on the closeness, she just made sure to walk carefully. “I bet it’s from an old theatre.”

As they emerged, they both made similar noises, their eyes taking in the space before them.

Villanelle’s instant favorite part about it was the plush red carpet under their feet. It was about two metres wide and ran the entire length of the room, right up the middle. And it was a pretty large room. There were things everywhere. She knew what about half of them were and could guess some of the others, but a few pieces of furniture were a mystery to her. She didn’t really care. There were plenty of things to occupy her attention that she was familiar with.

Eve took Ville’s hand and started walking toward an unoccupied play space with an X-frame. That was a very versatile piece of furniture and even if it was the only one they used, that would be fine. She was glad there was one available, because the dungeon was pretty damn full.

“I like the sounds in here,” Villanelle said. Bullwhips cracking, leather on skin, skin on skin, moans and groans and crying. Even a few screams here and there. “It’s nice.”

“Nice,” Eve said, laughing. She unclipped the leash. “Can you find me a chair, baby?” As Villanelle nodded and started off, she called, “one no one’s using!”

Villanelle flashed back to the garbage can comment when she had first gotten her chore chart, and rolled her eyes, stopping and turning her head to throw a look over her shoulder at Eve. “I _know_ that, Eve.”

Eve just blew her a kiss.

Villanelle found an unused chair and brought it back with her, setting it in the middle of the space Eve had claimed for them.

“Thank you,” Eve said, and sat down. “Undress.”

“All the way or to my lingerie?” Villanelle asked as her fingers went to the top button of her blouse.

“You’re wearing lingerie?” Eve hadn’t seen what she put on under her outfit. But then again, when was Villanelle _not_ in lingerie under her clothes? “Okay, to your lingerie, then,” she decided. “Thank you for asking.”

Villanelle nodded and slipped off her blouse, revealing a dark blue lace bra that had cost twenty-three hundred pounds. The underwear had cost twenty-five hundred. She draped her blouse over the top V of the X-frame and removed her pants, doing the same. She did not want to take her shoes off. “Can I keep my shoes on, please? Unless we are going to sanitize the floor?”

“I’ll sanitize the floor, baby,” Eve said, going to the nearest supply cart and returning with a roll of paper towels and a bottle of cleaner. “I want you barefoot,” she explained as she started cleaning the floor, making sure to cover every possible square inch that Villanelle had any chance at all of coming into contact with. She did the base of the X-frame as well for when Ville would be standing on it later, and then she did the actual frame as well because Villanelle would be pressed against it naked.

While Eve was putting back the cleaning supplies, Villanelle slid her shoes off, shivering a little at the cold floor on her bare feet. She wiggled her toes as she waited for Eve to get back, appreciating the contrast of her blood-red polish with the shiny black floor. When she heard Eve sit down she looked up and walked over to stand in front of the chair.

Eve took a minute to just appreciate the sight of Villanelle in a lingerie set that was undoubtedly more expensive than an island. “This is a very good color on you,” she said, trailing a finger along the waistband of the _very_ soft panties.

“Thank you,” Villanelle said as if she didn’t already know this.

“I don’t want to spank you with your panties on, but these are pretty delicious, so I’m just gonna pull them down.”

Villanelle shifted her weight in anticipation. She caught a few people watching them out of the corner of her eye and her pulse sped up. She just so much loved being on display. “There are some people watching us, Eve,” she whispered with a shiver.

Eve couldn’t help a chuckle. “I’m sure there will be more soon enough. I was serious when I said you were literally the hottest person on the planet. Now come bend over my lap, hot stuff.”

Villanelle stepped up to Eve’s right side and bent over, settling herself on Eve’s thighs and bracing her hands on the floor. “Are you going to spank me really hard, Eve?”

“I’m gonna make your ass sting, but I want to use the flogger there some too, so I’m not gonna wear you out completely.” She ran one palm up and down Ville’s back and smoothed it across her bottom. “This lace is deceptively soft.”

“Deception, Eve? I do not think lace is capable of deception.”

Eve snorted and pulled down her panties. “Behave.”

Villanelle made a disgusted noise. “ _Yes_ , Eve.”

Eve heard her mutter ‘boring’ under her breath and had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing. She wrapped her left arm around Ville’s waist and smacked her with the right.

Villanelle squirmed playfully, but when Eve rested a hand on her ass she settled. And then Eve was spanking her. Softly at first, but building up until every smack was making her gasp. Eve’s hand felt so good on her tender skin. And the sound... fuck. The sound was its own aphrodisiac. Every time, she heard Eve’s hand connect with her backside a microsecond before she felt it, and the combination was utterly sinful.

Eve slapped one cheek, then the other, back and forth until Villanelle’s ass was glowing pink. They had a little more of a crowd now, and she leaned over to whisper to her girl. “Ville... did you know there’s about a half dozen people watching us now?”

“Eve,” Villanelle groaned, clenching her thighs. Her ass was warm and tingly and the spanking had made her wet.

Eve gave her several smacks in quick succession, loving the noises she got for her trouble and the way Villanelle’s hips pressed hard against her thighs. “I think that’s enough spanking, baby. I want you on the cross.”

Villanelle let out a slow breath to collect herself so she wouldn’t look a mess when she stood up. Eve was going to tie her to that cross and use the flogger, and the thought sent a shiver racing up her spine. “Yes, Eve,” she said, her voice lower and a little more serious.

Eve rubbed her back for a few seconds, then helped her up, both of them getting to their feet.

Villanelle grabbed Eve’s arm for support because she got a little dizzy when she finally stood up and her blood had to redistribute itself accordingly.

“Okay, baby?” Eve asked, steadying her lover.

“Just a little dizzy from standing up too fast,” Villanelle said, quiet. “I am okay.”

Eve nodded and reached around behind her to unhook her bra, then peeled it down her arms and off. She honestly couldn’t resist a quick kiss to each of Villanelle’s nipples on her way down to remove the panties the rest of the way.

Villanelle gasped, mostly out of surprise, but by the time she could enjoy it, Eve had already moved on. She stepped out of the panties when they pooled at her feet, and she was naked. Completely naked, except for her collar, in a roomful of people, some of them looking at her and waiting to see what Eve would do to her next. The feeling of being watched was extremely powerful, and she had no outlet for the sparks except to repeatedly flex and curl her fingers.

Eve noticed what Villanelle was doing with her hands. “Ville?”

“I am okay, Eve, thank you,” Villanelle answered.

“Good girl,” Eve praised, kissing her bare shoulder. “I want you to go stand on the base of the cross and lean forward against it. Raise your arms and hold on to the chains at the top.”

Villanelle purred at the praise and when Eve told her what to do, she gave a subtle nod. “Yes, Eve.”

Eve shivered as she watched Villanelle remove her blouse and shirt from the X-frame and drape them over the now vacant chair instead, then do as she was told. When her lover was in position, she took two rope coils out of the bag she had packed with just their toys and stepped up behind Villanelle. “Are you ready for me to tie your hands to those chains?” she asked, her voice low and full of promise.

Villanelle’s nostrils flared and her wrists twitched. “Yes, Eve,” she breathed.

“You look absolutely breathtaking,” Eve said as she uncoiled one of the ropes and began the process of binding Villanelle’s right wrist. She wrapped the rope around twice and tied a regular knot, then fed the end of the rope through the last link in the chain and used a mooring hitch on that end. “This will untie in a split second if you say red,” she told Villanelle, kissing the back of her head as she moved around to do the same setup with the other wrist.

Villanelle did not think she would be saying red at all tonight, but it made her chest feel a little warm that Eve was so protective. “Thank you, Eve.”

Eve got the flogger out of their bag and stepped up onto the base of the X-frame so she could whisper to Villanelle. “I’m going to use the flogger on your back, your ass and your thighs. Since we haven’t done any impact play with your back before, we don’t know if you’re going to like it. I know you have your safe word, and that will stop everything, but if you don’t like the way the flogger feels on your back and you want me to go directly to your ass and thighs, just say yellow. Okay, baby?”

Villanelle listened closely and nodded at the end. “Yellow if I want you to move away from my back, and my safety word if I want you to stop everything,” she repeated.

Eve nuzzled her nose against Ville’s temple. “You are such a good girl, Villanelle.”

Villanelle’s eyes drifted closed and she leaned her head into Eve’s face. “I bet you say that to everyone,” she teased, but it was a fleeting, gentle kind of tease meant only to lighten the moment.

“I don’t call anyone else Villanelle,” Eve teased back, kissing the spot she’d been nuzzling.

A tiny snort escaped and Villanelle tugged on her bonds just for show. And then she felt Eve step away, heard the whoosh of leather, and a few seconds later the falls of the flogger were lightly painting her back. Hm. An interesting sensation for sure, not at all like it felt on her chest, but so far so good. She shifted and flexed the muscles in her back, trying to get used to it. But... she thought she liked it.

Eve gradually increased the force, watching Villanelle’s reactions carefully, and when she thought Ville was ready, she let go with a harder stroke angling downward from her lover’s right shoulder toward her left hip.

“Aah!” Villanelle cried out at the force and jerked on her ropes, rattling the chains. Oh, that hurt. Now she had to decide whether she liked the way it hurt. Part like a bee sting and part like a punch. “Can I ask you to do it lighter on my back without saying yellow?” she asked in a rush.

“Absolutely, baby,” Eve said, particularly proud of Villanelle’s ability to communicate in that moment. “Thank you.” She lightened up the strokes, crisscrossing Ville’s back in a figure eight because that was the easiest pattern to use with light strokes. She knew she was doing something right when Villanelle started moaning and dropped her head forward. “You like that, Ville?” she asked unnecessarily.

“Yes, Eve.” Villanelle flexed her shoulders and rolled them.

Eve didn’t want her to get too comfortable so she only continued for another minute or so before she shifted her focus to Villanelle’s smooth, perfect ass. Jesus Christ, she didn’t blame the gathering of people hanging back watching them, because Villanelle was a fucking goddess. Of course now her skill level with a flogger was going to be on display, so she had to concentrate on showcasing that she knew what she was doing. Nobody wanted to watch a poorly executed scene, and Villanelle wanted as many people watching as possible.

She switched from the figure eight to a backhand/forehand pattern, cutting the tips back and forth a few times before letting Villanelle have it.

Villanelle cried out and arched her back, wrapping her fingers around the chains that connected the rope to the cross.

Eve gave her a couple more light strokes and then thrashed once on the other cheek, her belly tightening at Villanelle’s groan. A few more light strokes and then she settled into a medium-force rhythm that made Villanelle squirm. “Hold still,” she said sternly.

Villanelle threw her head back and let out a loud whine. How was she supposed to hold still? “I can’t,” she panted, still squirming at every lash.

Eve stepped forward and pressed herself flush against Villanelle’s back, forcing her girl further against the sanitized wood. “I said hold still,” she hissed into her lover’s ear. “Don’t make me tell you again, Villanelle.”

Villanelle’s mouth opened and closed but no sound came out, her jaw working as she tried to force her hips still. Fuuuck, Eve was sexy when she got like this. The tone of her voice alone made Villanelle want to behave. “I’m trying,” she finally got out, and Jesus, she sounded totally pathetic. She didn’t care though because Eve was literally _whipping_ her ass, so she couldn’t be blamed. And with Eve pressed up against her like this, the grainy wood was tight against her belly.

“Villanelle,” Eve warned. “Don’t make excuses to me.” She watched Ville crumble a little at that and stepped back again, resuming her back and forth pattern, starting soft again but quickly working up this time to decidedly hard strokes. She could see how much of a strain it was putting on Villanelle to hold still, and she rewarded her with a few truly punishing blows, one after another, and then stepped forward again to rub her blazing skin.

Villanelle yelled on the last few lashes, her ass lighting up like fire, and then Eve was rubbing it and she instantly calmed, pressing her bottom into the comforting touch. “It hurts,” she whispered, clenching her thighs together. “I’m so wet, Eve...”

“It hurts, baby? Tell me how it hurts,” Eve said low in her ear, kissing the shell of it.

 _Eve the sadist_. “It stings,” Villanelle said, turning her head to offer more of herself. “And burns... and those last ones you gave me made it start throbbing...”

“They did?” Eve asked, her voice still low, and she dropped a hand between Ville’s legs, stroking through wetness and up between her cheeks, pushing a finger into her ass without warning.

Villanelle yelped and the chains rattled as she jerked her hands, and then she was making the most desperate keening sound she had ever heard herself make and she bent forward as far as her bound wrists would allow. “Если бы мои руки были свободны я бы держался себя открытым для тебя.”

Eve shuddered at the smooth Russian and bit down lightly on Villanelle’s ear. “I don’t know what the fuck you just said to me but it sounded filthy,” she purred, pressing in further with her finger and watching Villanelle lose her composure.

“Eve, _please_ ,” Villanelle begged with a long, low growl, almost like a caged animal, jerking on her bonds again and pressing her ass harder into Eve’s hand.

“Please? Please what?” Eve teased. “What do you want?”

“I just—more,” Villanelle whined. “I need it.”

Eve positioned a second finger and pushed just to let Villanelle know it was there before she pulled out entirely. “I’m not done whipping you yet.” She used hand sanitizer quick while Villanelle gave an enraged roar, which she ignored, and then she started snapping the tips of the flogger across the backs of Villanelle’s thighs. Soft, soft, hard. Soft, soft, hard. She used an AAB pattern so every hard stroke would land on the opposite side from the last.

Villanelle was getting delirious with need. The pain was so exquisite and Eve commanded her body so well that she almost couldn’t take it. She was dripping and swollen and empty. Empty was a huge problem right now. “Please, Eve, please, please, please,” she almost chanted, her thighs on fire to match her ass and a soft warm glow across her upper back.

“I’m not done,” Eve said sharply, lighting into her lover with abandon, only stopping when Ville’s thighs were striped and angry and her lover was sagging forward against the cross, shaking with tears. Only then did she place the flogger back into their bag and move to Villanelle again, lightly scratching up and down the back of her neck and holding her hand. “Such a good girl,” she praised. “You’re so good, Ville... do you think you deserve to be fucked now? In front of all these people?” They had drawn a really big crowd by this point.

Villanelle was already wrecked, her senses heightened from the pain, and she didn’t know what to say. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I know I am not allowed to come until we get home, but I want you to fuck me so badly I cannot stand it...”

Eve replaced her nails with her mouth, kissing up and down the back of Ville’s neck, then over her shoulder. “I asked if you deserve to be fucked, not if you _want_ to be fucked. I know you want to be fucked, Villanelle. Do. You. Deserve it?”

Villanelle still had tears leaking out and she was afraid to say she deserved it in case Eve didn’t think she did. “I think so,” she cried. “You said I was a good girl...”

“If you know you were good, then you should know if you deserve to be fucked. Try again. Do you deserve it?”

“Yes,” Villanelle finally said, her voice strained and thick with her tears.

“There it is,” Eve said, proud of her. She unzipped her pants and worked the cock out through the opening, moved over a little so she was behind Ville instead of next to her, and she knew her lover was wet enough to take it but she checked first with a swipe of her finger just to be sure there was plenty of lube. There was. She grabbed Ville by the hips and slammed the cock in deep, reveling in the surprised sound of ecstasy torn from Villanelle’s throat and a few gasps from their onlookers.

Villanelle heard them. The gasps and murmurs. And they fed her soul. After, she was going to have to figure out something amazing to do for Eve for giving her this experience. Right now, though, all she wanted was for Eve to start moving. “Please,” she begged. “Please, Eve, fuck me until I can’t walk.”

Eve grinned, biting down on the back of Villanelle’s neck, just above the tattoo, and at the same time pulling out a fraction of an inch and rocking slowly back in.

Villanelle’s angry groan would have scared the piss out of anyone else, but Eve just kept grinning and did it again.

The next time Eve tried to do that to her she chased the dick with her hips, and then it was gone. “No,” she gasped. “I am sorry, Eve. I’m sorry. Please, no.”

Eve grabbed her by the bun and turned her head sharply. “Do you think you’re in charge?” she hissed.

“No,” Villanelle whimpered, shaking her head the little bit she could.

“I can’t believe you did that, Villanelle. Just because I’m not giving you exactly what you want at the exact moment you want it doesn’t mean you can selectively jump ship and expect me to jump with you.” She let go of Ville’s hair. “Put your fucking head down.”

Villanelle’s heart was pounding almost painfully, and she lowered her head the instant Eve told her to. For the first time, she wished she was more patient. She knew that Eve was not _actually_ angry at her, but still, Eve was disappointed, and that hurt worse than her whipping. “I’m s—”

“Don’t. Speak.”

Villanelle shut her mouth and cried silently, tears dropping onto the pretty black floor below.

Eve stood behind her, making sure they were still touching so Villanelle didn’t feel alone, but she didn’t move or speak, counting five minutes in her head.

It felt like forever. Eve was there, right there with her, but inaccessible. The floor was even shinier with the small pools of her tears. Finally, Eve squeezed her arm and she felt like she could breathe again.

“Give me one reason I should fuck you now.”

Villanelle shuddered, blinking out the last of her tears. “You shouldn’t.”

Of course that would be Villanelle’s answer, because now she didn’t think she deserved it. But Eve would teach her. “You need to listen better to my questions, Villanelle. I did not ask _whether_ I should. I asked for one _reason_ I should. So figure it out and tell me.”

Villanelle’s eyes darted back and forth across the ground in front of her at Eve’s strange response. Eve wanted her to find a reason she deserved to still be fucked? When she did not deserve it? How was she supposed to answer this question? What reason could there possibly be that Eve should give her what she wanted? She could not think of anything. “I don’t know,” she whispered.

“Then keep thinking,” Eve said, her voice not gentle but not quite as sharp.

Villanelle was spiraling. She could not think of a single reason Eve should fuck her other than that she wanted it. And that was not an acceptable reason, she knew that much. “Eve, there is _none_ ,” she said, her voice choked, on the verge of despair that she could not give Eve an answer.

Eve heard the shift and moved around to Villanelle’s side, laying a hand on her back. “Look at me, Ville. I’ll help you through this one.” She was gentle now.

Villanelle came down from the ledge and turned her head to look at Eve through blurry eyes.

“You behaved very well most of the time so far,” Eve said, moving her hand from Ville’s back to her cheek. “That could be one reason. You love me and want me. That could be a reason. You’re sorry and you won’t misbehave again. That could be a reason. Do you understand now what I’m asking of you?”

Villanelle listened with bated breath, and exhaled slowly through her nose when Eve finished, closing her eyes and nodding. “I think so, Eve.”

“Good girl,” Eve said and kissed her forehead. “Head down.” She moved back around behind again as Villanelle lowered her head. “Give me one reason I should fuck you now.”

Villanelle’s voice was shaky, but she was able to give an answer this time. “Because I am sorry for trying to take charge and I want the chance to show you that I know I am your property.”

Eve almost said ‘oof’ out loud, which was the feeling that dropped into her gut at Villanelle’s answer. She didn’t bother to remind Villanelle that she was not actually her property. “Are you still wet?”

Villanelle sniffed. “A little.”

The sniffle threatened to _end_ her. “I’ll just have to warm you back up.” She brought her palm down sharply across Villanelle’s reddened ass. “Count.”

Villanelle felt like she was suddenly being strangled because her voice didn’t want to work. But she made it. “O-one.”

“Say thank you.”

“Thank you.”

Eve spanked her again.

“Two. Thank you.” Her voice was getting stronger again.

Eve spanked her thighs.

Villanelle bit her lip. “Three. Thank you.”

“Are you wet enough for my cock?”

“ _Yes_.”

Eve probed roughly with a finger first and then slid her cock home again, straight up to the hilt with no preamble. Villanelle jerked forward with the force of it, chains rattling, and they both grunted at the same time. “Good girl.”

Villanelle had never been more relieved to hear those words. She always loved hearing them but this time it was different. This time it was love and acceptance, not just words designed to kick her up a notch. They still kicked her up a notch, but this time it was _more_. “Thank you, Eve,” she said breathlessly.

Eve was merciless in the way she fucked Villanelle, hard and fast and shallow, never going deep enough to satisfy after that first thrust.

Villanelle knew it was a punishment and accepted it. Relished it, even. And she took it like a champ, never trying to force Eve deeper. That was a lesson she only wanted to learn once.

Once she’d tortured Ville long enough and gotten total compliance, Eve started _really_ fucking her, seating all the way in with each thrust.

Villanelle didn’t expect it and let out a shriek, her head snapping up and her back arching at the almost brutal rhythm. Oh, fuck, she wasn’t going to last long. She could hear Eve’s thighs connecting with her tender ass as much as she could feel it, and once she realized that, she realized that the rest of the dungeon must have been really fucking quiet for this to happen. How many people were watching now, if barely anyone else was still playing?

The thought set her belly on fire and combined with Eve fucking the hell out of her she was on the edge. “Eve, I’m go—” She let out an unearthly wail when Eve’s cock disappeared, and for a baffling second she did not understand, but then... “No, Eve, I changed my mind, let me come, please, I changed my mind Eve, please...”

“It doesn’t work like that, baby,” Eve said, already reaching into her fly to unsnap the dick from the harness so she wouldn’t be tempted to let Villanelle come anyway. As soon as the last word left her mouth, she was afraid Villanelle was going to rip the eye bolts out of the wood with the way she jerked on those ropes.

Everyone that was paying attention jumped.

Villanelle’s cheeks were hot with a fury she could not contain and she pulled out her very rare I Am Going To Skin Your Family Alive voice as she screamed. “I AM GOING TO MURDER EVERYONE IN THIS DUNGEON!”

Eve turned to the onlookers and gave a subtle shake of her head. “She won’t do that,” she assured them. She did not add ‘because she’s chained up’.

She let Villanelle scream and rage and was grateful for the two-inch thick wood of a properly-built frame so that her lover couldn’t bow it. She packed the cock in its own section of their bag and zipped her pants, then sat in the chair to wait.

It was a long wait.

Her eyes widened when she saw a drop of blood from under one of the ropes and she knew she couldn’t wait it out or Ville was going to really hurt herself. “Hey!” she snapped, moving around in front of her raging lover. There was a fiery distance in Villanelle’s eyes that Eve definitely did not like and the only thing she could think to do... she closed one hand around Villanelle’s throat and slapped her face as hard as she could.

Villanelle felt the hand on her throat and when a slap came across her face, the world zoomed back into sharp focus and she gasped for breath, eyes searching and immediately finding Eve. Eve was right there... Eve was okay. She reached for—oh. She was still chained up. “What did I do?” she asked, terrified of the answer.

Fuck, that was a relief. Ville was right back there with her. She smiled at the question and pressed her mouth to Villanelle’s. “Nothing, baby. We’ll talk about everything at home. Are you ready to get out of those ropes and make our exit?”

Villanelle exhaled and nodded. Yes. She was ready to go home.


	37. Rant reposted because of TOS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Had to delete this to get rid of a TOS violation in the comments so I am reposting it.

All right. This post is not going to make me popular, in fact it will probably lose me a bunch of readers, but I'm annoyed. And here's the deal. I spent four days writing over six thousand words of an intense, emotion-filled, kink-filled, knowledge-filled chapter of a story that 700 people are reading, and how many people commented? 6 people. Out of 700 people, 6 different people commented. You're probably saying to yourself, who does this bitch think she is to think she's entitled to anything?

Here is your answer. I do not think I am entitled to anything at all. That does not mean I won't demand it. I have been working my ass off writing and fulfilling requests, and I have been enjoying the fuck out of it, so don't think this is a complaint about any of that. I LOVE writing. That doesn't mean it isn't hard work sometimes. And when you spend 4 days writing something pivotal to a very long story and you have 675 people freeloading, it's fucking irritating.

TO THOSE OF YOU who consistently leave me comments, PLEASE DO NOT feel that this post applies to you in any way. You know who you are if you have left me comments, and as few of you as there are, I appreciate each and every one of you and I do frequently say thank you and respond to all comments and try to interact.

But what is the point of sharing stories if not to interact? I write for myself, but I share for the conversation. Do I like being told I'm wonderful? Sure, who doesn't? I have V's praise kink. But what I am really interested in and really enjoy is starting a dialogue. I like it if people have questions. I like it when people share with me that I've helped them accept who they are more. Those things are so important to me, and I think for every person who asks a question, maybe there are a dozen more people afraid to ask the same one. I will answer all of them because I DO appreciate my readers. I DO appreciate every comment. Even if you are giving me constructive criticism, I dig that. My absolute favorite comments (besides the ones about personal growth) are when people tell me their favorite lines or say what made them laugh, or say what part they thought was super hot. Because again, why am I sharing if there is no reaction? I'm not writing for a reaction but I'm posting to interact. Most authors won't say anything because they don't want people to be angry, but I'm not one of those people. What you see is what you get and I'm not catering or pandering and I'm sick of the freeloading.

I've said this before: you do not go into a bookstore and walk out with free books, unless you expect to be arrested or you've won a contest. You don't do it. You pay for your books. That is how you support authors when you go to a bookstore. Fan fiction does not make profits. Leaving a comment is your way of supporting the author.

You can feel free to respond with what a bitch or a cunt I am or how ridiculous this is, by all means, but you will literally be wasting your time, breath and energy because I simply do not care. If this pisses you off then don't read my stuff. If you get angry about this post, it is because YOU are the one feeling entitled, feeling entitled to reap the benefits of other people's hard work and to give nothing in return. You can call me names or say I'm rude, but again, you're just wasting your time.

AMEN

P.S. If you are someone who hasn't commented because you didn't realize it was important, you are not the freeloaders I am referring to. If you haven't commented because it's an oversight, you are not the freeloaders I am referring to. So if you are one of these people, I hope you will disregard and just start commenting. There's a guest option for people who don't want their usernames displayed.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The outpouring of support I got has been amazing, and I appreciate every single one of you who sent a comment and have committed to engaging on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy this update, and the end of this chapter is the beginning of the devious idea that I got from one of your comments (you know who you are bc I told you you gave me a devious idea lmao)

Eve reached up and tugged on the mooring hitch to undo the rope from the chain, and Villanelle’s arm was heavy as it sagged in her grip. She lifted her knee to rest Villanelle’s forearm on so she could use both hands to untie her wrist. The rope had dug in pretty good during those last thirty seconds or so and Ville’s whimper as she peeled it away pierced her chest. “I know, baby. I’m gonna take care of you, I’m gonna make it better, okay?”

Villanelle could hear Eve talking but everything was muted, and she nodded at the words. She knew she was safe, that much was clear even in her hazy state. She was with Eve, so she was safe.

Eve kept a hand on Ville’s back as she moved to the other side and repeated the process with her left arm. Pull the mooring hitch, rest Villanelle’s arm on her raised knee, and carefully untie the rope. Even more carefully peel it from her skin. Villanelle’s whimper was softer, but Eve still heard it. She didn’t like that there was blood on the ropes as she put them into their bag.

She brought Ville’s clothes to her and helped her into them, forgetting the bra and underwear because those would take too long and were too complicated right now. “I’m gonna sit you down while I clean the equipment, okay baby?” she asked, heading for the chair.

“I’ll do that for you,” someone said, and Eve turned around. The crowd had dispersed, people obviously not wanting to intrude on the intimacy their aftercare, but people were still milling about and Eve nodded her appreciation.

“Thank you. Very much,” she said, and she shouldered their bag, helping Ville into her shoes. “Do you want the leash back on?” she asked quietly.

Villanelle just wanted Eve, and she nodded to the question, because the leash would be good. Grounding. Connective.

Eve took it from the bag and clipped it to the collar, and felt Villanelle’s body relax the slightest bit. She still kept an arm around her as she led her lover toward the exit. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder when they were about to slip through the curtain and turned her head. There was a woman that screamed refined elegance standing with a business card, and where did she have a business card handy in that fucking _ball gown_? Also her hair was like... lavender.

“Please call me. There is something I would like to discuss.”

One glance at the business card and Eve blinked, looking back up at the woman. “Are we in trouble?”

Mistress Cyzarine, as the card called her, had a very lilting, gentle laugh and shook her head. “Not at all. Just call me.” And she walked away.

Eve put the card in her pocket and took Villanelle through the curtain, stopping to get their purses and return the locker key on their way out the door.

***

The drive was silent with Villanelle leaning up against her, head resting on her shoulder, and when the car stopped she helped Ville out and up to the apartment. “We need to get your wrists cleaned up, okay baby?” she said gently, unclipping the leash and setting it on the sofa before guiding Villanelle into the bathroom and having her sit on the closed toilet seat.

Villanelle was compliant but quiet through the whole process, letting Eve clean, ointment and bandage the severe chafing on both wrists. Finally, when Eve was finished putting the supplies away and they were laying in bed, she spoke. “Did I hurt anyone?”

“No, no baby,” Eve promised, pulling her close and kissing her forehead.

Villanelle sighed with relief and went quiet again, lying in Eve’s arms, letting her emotions leak out through her eyes.

“You were a good girl.” Eve kissed her forehead again. Villanelle’s tears, and her question, felt like another notch on the spectrum of emotional growth. “You were a good girl, and we’re home now, so would you like to come, baby?”

Villanelle sniffed and nodded.

It was quiet and soft. Eve rubbed her gently through her pants until she shuddered and went still with a long sigh. And then she curled tighter into Eve and fell asleep.

***

When she woke up, Eve was still holding her. “Hi,” she said sheepishly.

Eve laughed and looked down at her. “Hi. Shower?”

“Yes, please. And sheet change.”

“That goes without saying, my lady,” Eve said and kissed her. “Let me get the key to that padlock, I’ll be right back.”

Villanelle undressed and turned on the shower, then lifted her chin so Eve could get to the collar easily and remove the padlock, then the collar itself. She reached up to rub her throat, already missing the sensation.

Eve stripped and got into the shower, tugging Ville with her. “Mmm. Hands on your head, baby. You don’t want to get those bandages wet.”

For some reason that made Villanelle shiver as she complied, folding her hands behind her head. “Does that mean you are going to wash me?”

“It does,” Eve said, running one fingertip from Ville’s throat down to her belly button. “Which soap do you want?”

Villanelle did not care what soap, she was too distracted by the way Eve was touching her. “The apple,” she said absently, her eyes tracking the progress of Eve’s hands.

Eve poured a generous amount of the apple champagne body wash into one hand and set down the bottle, then lathered up and started to wash her lover. She started with her throat, then collarbones, chest, each breast separately, and her stomach. “Turn around.”

Villanelle’s mouth was hanging open a little at the smooth, silky feel of Eve’s hands soaping up her body. She turned slowly, careful not to hit Eve with her elbow, and then Eve’s hands were all over her back. She let out a quiet moan; the sensation was indescribable. She knew she was holding tension there and she tried to let it go. “That feels so nice, Eve, thank you.”

“You are so welcome, baby,” Eve purred, kissing the back of her ear and being extra gentle as she ran her hands over Ville’s welted ass cheeks.

“Oh,” Villanelle said, her eyes going wide. That was an unexpected combination of tactile prompts. Soap, water, gentle, soothing rubbing, but a flare of the burn she had felt there in the dungeon.

“Okay?” Eve asked.

“Yes.” It was overall a very pleasurable feeling.

Eve took the same care to be gentle with her thighs, because they had gotten it even worse than her ass, and when Villanelle whimpered she slid her hand between her lover’s legs to offer a purely pleasurable touch, rubbing back and forth with the palm of her hand. “It’s okay, sweet girl,” she whispered. “I’m all done with the parts that hurt.”

Villanelle’s breath left her at the way Eve spoke to her and it was a struggle to stand upright with her hands on her head. “I am okay,” she promised.

Eve washed the rest of her and then let Ville rinse off while she quickly washed herself. “Can you hold your arms out in front of you while I wash your hair if I’m fast about it?”

Villanelle turned around again and extended her arms, leaning her head back under the spray and also bending her knees a little so Eve could reach better. Eve was very fast but thorough and then she rinsed her hair with a little help. “Thank you, I feel so refreshed,” she said. “Someday I would like to wash you and pamper you in the shower.”

“I would love that,” Eve said with a purr, letting her imagination run away with her for a few seconds before she washed and rinsed her own hair and shut off the water. “I’ll get you a towel.”

Villanelle stared in horror at the towel Eve was offering. “What is that?”

Eve looked at the towel and back to Villanelle. “It’s a towel. What...?”

“Where are my COYUCHI towels?”

“ _That_ is the problem?” Eve scoffed. “We need to do laundry, Villanelle.”

“That towel is not going to touch my body.”

“Then I guess you’re gonna drip dry.”

Villanelle whined. “I’ll wait while you do a load of towels.”

Eve erupted into laughter and grabbed Villanelle by the arm, yanking her out of the shower and wrapping her up in the offending towel, squeezing her tight despite her physical protests. “You did not just fucking tell me to wash towels for you while you stand in the shower and wait, and then expect me not to have a fucked up reaction, did you?”

Villanelle gagged almost as bad as during the green bean incident and tried to get the towel off of her. “Eve!” she shrieked. “This is an abuse of your power!”

Eve was practically howling by now and she started rubbing the towel up and down Villanelle’s arms and back. “There is nothing wrong with this CLEAN towel,” she insisted. “Just because it didn’t cost two million pounds doesn’t make it a bad towel.”

“It is scratchy. It is not fluffy. It is not soft. It is a hideous color. It is not big and inviting and luxurious. It has a _hole_ in it. A _hole_! Eve!”

Villanelle was still trying to get away from the towel and making it difficult to dry her off. “Hey. Hold still,” Eve scolded. “You don’t want a smack on that already tender ass, do you?”

Villanelle stopped struggling and gave Eve her very best pathetic pout. “I do not like this towel, Eve.”

“You have made that very clear, Villanelle. It’s time to stop now.” Suddenly Villanelle looked unsure and lost, and Eve’s brows furrowed. “What is it, baby?”

Villanelle let Eve finish drying her body, and then drying her hair as much as possible, without any further issue. “When we are dry and dressed, will you... talk to me about it? I do not like having a blank spot, or a—a hazy spot, I guess.”

“Talk to you about what happened before we left the dungeon?” Eve asked for clarification, drying herself off and wrapping the towel around her hair.

“Yes,” Villanelle said quietly. “I know I got angry and yelled and—you said I did not hurt anyone. But I would like to know what I did do, not just what I did not do.”

“Of course, baby,” Eve said, pulling her into a hug. “What do you want to wear?”

“I want to wear Oksana’s outfit but it was ruined,” Villanelle said against Eve’s neck.

“I’m sorry it was ruined, baby... we’ll get you something else next time we go out, I promise. What about some silky shorts and a camisole?”

Villanelle nodded. “Will you pick them out?”

“I would love nothing more,” Eve said, kissing the top of her head. “Go get in bed and I’ll bring over your pajamas.”

Villanelle did not exactly want to feel like a child, but she was very hesitant and off balance as she climbed onto the bed and lay staring at the ceiling. Why did she have to lose control to the point she couldn’t remember everything? She did not used to care, but she didn’t want to miss a single minute of her life with Eve. It was very frustrating and she could feel tears forming in her eyes again. “Why do I have to be who I am?” she shouted.

Eve came out of the closet with the pajamas just as Villanelle shouted, and she hurried over to sit down next to her lover. “Ville, I love who you are. I wouldn’t want you if you weren’t you.”

Villanelle looked at Eve incredulously, her self-hatred simmering down in an instant. How did Eve _do_ that? “I frustrate myself. I do not frustrate you?”

“No,” Eve said. “I mean I’ve been frustrated with you once or twice in a certain situation, but you as a person do not frustrate me, Villanelle. I know it’s hard for you once in a while to not be like everyone else, but that’s what makes you better than everyone. That you aren’t like them. And I’m not like them, either. We fit together perfectly. I wouldn’t want to change that.”

Villanelle sat up and threw her arms around Eve’s neck. “Thank you, Eve. You always know how to make me feel better.”

“I don’t want to hear you talking bad about the woman I love,” Eve murmured, squeezing her tight.

“I will try,” Villanelle said. “Will you tell me now what I did?”

“You got angry when I held you to one of your earlier stated limits.” Eve started to explain.

“I remember that part,” Villanelle said, blushing.

“Well, then you sort of like... roared, and tried to break the furniture you were chained to, and you screamed that you were going to murder everyone in the dungeon.”

“Oh, no, Eve,” Villanelle said, choking on her words as she hid her face in Eve’s neck. “Were you so embarrassed of me?”

“What?” Eve snorted. “No. You’re hot as fuck. I just told them you weren’t really going to do that. I didn’t tell them it was only because you were chained up.”

Somehow, that made Villanelle laugh, her shame starting to ease away. “Eve!”

Eve snickered. “I was going to wait you out but then I saw blood coming from under the ropes so I slapped you as hard as I could and it helped you snap out of the rage.”

Villanelle’s eyes went wide and she pulled back to look at Eve. “You were going to wait me out? You were just letting me be an asshole trying to break the furniture?!”

“Yeah. You weren’t hurting anyone, and I was pretty sure the hardware on that cross was solid enough to hold you. It would’ve been fine if the ropes hadn’t started digging in so bad.”

“Oh my God, Eve. We really do fit perfectly together. You are very deranged.”

Eve laughed. “Thank you, my dear.”

And that was that.

***

The next morning Villanelle made breakfast and Eve was just starting to eat when she remembered the lavender-haired ball gown lady and the business card in her slacks. “Oh my God, I forgot. Do you remember the lady with purple hair that stopped us when we were leaving?”

Villanelle scrunched up her nose and sat down to eat. “No. I was not paying attention.”

“Some fancy lady said she wanted to discuss something with me and gave me her business card.”

“What? Should I be jealous, Eve?”

“Yeah, right. Like anyone compares to you. Plus I didn’t get the feeling it was about sex.”

“That is because you do not think anyone is attracted to you. But they are.”

“Well I’m pretty sure that whatever she wanted to discuss was about both of us.”

“I am keeping an eye on you around this woman, Eve.”

Eve laughed and took a bite of her breakfast. “By all means, please do. Attach yourself at the hip if you want to.”

“I just might do that.” Villanelle glared, but it was playful, and stabbed her fork into her eggs a little harder than necessary. “Meeting other women while I am basically incapacitated. That is horrible.”

“You’re adorable,” Eve said, “and this breakfast is delicious. Who else would cook for me like this, hmm?” She took another bite and made a show of moaning at the taste.

“No one, so you should definitely keep me around.”

“I love you, Ville.”

Villanelle finally cracked a smile. “I love you too. It is very fun to tease you and be jealous, though. When are you going to call this whore?”

Eve choked on her eggs and sputtered, quickly downing some juice. “Jesus, Ville! You made me waste a bite of eggs!”

“Half went down, I think,” Villanelle said, tilting her head in thought.

“God, you’re a brat. And I’m calling the not-whore after breakfast.”

***

Villanelle did the dishes really fast so she could be right up Eve’s ass during this mysterious phone call. Eve had promised to wait for her to finish dishes anyway, because her girlfriend was the best and knew she hated dirty dishes in the sink but that she wanted to be there during the call.

She dried the last one and put it away and then found Eve on the sofa, sat down and curled up against her side.

“Ready?” Eve asked, staring at the business card in her hand and typing in the phone number.

“Mhmm.”

She hit the call button and it was picked up halfway through the first ring. “Thank you for calling The Tower; how may I be of service?”

“Yeah, hi. My name is Eve and this woman gave me—”

“Mistress is expecting your call. You need to call the number on the back of the card, please.” Click.

Eve stared at the phone. And then turned the business card over. There was a handwritten number in scrawling, glittery aquamarine ink. “Uh, wow.”

“Ooh, I like her handwriting,” Villanelle said, peering at the pretty ink. “She is tasteful.”

“I thought she was a whore?”

“She is a tasteful whore.”

“Right.” Eve snorted and dialed the obviously personal number.

“Eve,” came that lilting voice. “My assistant informed me that you would be calling.”

“Okay...”

“How are you doing this morning?”

“Fine...”

“You’re obviously not one for small talk.”

“Can’t say that I am. Not with a stranger, anyway.”

“All right, I won’t patronize you, I’ll get straight to it. Your submissive... I can help you train her—”

“Hey!” Eve interrupted. “Fuck you! She doesn’t need training. I’m hanging up now.”

Villanelle’s eyebrows hit the roof.

“Wait, please. Let me rephrase.”

“You have about five seconds.”

“I should have said that I can help you help her train herself.”

“To do what?”

“To maintain control of her rage.”

“...oh.”

Villanelle wished she could hear what the tasteful whore was saying, but the woman spoke softly, unlike Eve who she would have been able to hear from down on the street.

“Are you still hanging up?”

“Maybe not. I won’t do anything she doesn’t want, though.”

“I can wait if you’d like to ask her.”

“I’m not asking her with you on the phone. I’ll talk to her and call you back if she’s interested.”

“I await your call.” Click.

What was it with dungeon people and hanging up without saying goodbye?

“What was all that, Eve?” Villanelle asked, deadly curious.

“I would have told her to fuck off again except for what you said last night.”

“What did I say?”

“That you frustrate yourself when you lose control and end up with blank or hazy spots.”

“And she is offering something in this regard?” Villanelle was skeptical.

“She said she can help me to help you train yourself to control your rage.”

“A lady with lavender hair and a ball gown can help me control my rage?” Villanelle let out the most derisive snort she could possibly conjure. “Take her up on this offer. She will realize her mistake.”

“Are you sure? If I take her up on it I want you to actually make an effort. I’m not going to do this just so you can fuck with someone.”

Villanelle opened her mouth to ask how Eve could say that, but shut it again and nodded with a sour expression at being caught. “Fine.”

“Do I have your word?”

Ugh. But... if there was even the slightest chance that someone could help her, then she would be less frustrated with herself in the future, and that would be pretty cool. “Yes,” she finally said. “I will try.”


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of feels.

Mistress Cyzarine’s assistant met them at the door at their scheduled appointment time and led them up a flight of stairs and down a long hallway to what was presumably an office.

He knocked lightly on the open door. “Mistress, Eve and Villanelle are here.”

“Come in,” Eve heard, and she nodded an awkward thanks to the retreating assistant before she and Villanelle stepped into the office. “Have a seat.” Cyzarine gestured to the two plush chairs opposite her desk.

“What are you wearing?” Villanelle asked, not moving an inch. It was a very fancy dress but it was not as fancy as _her_ clothing. And it was very out of place in an office _or_ a dungeon.

“You must be Villanelle,” Cyzarine said smoothly, her dark red-painted lips curving into a smile. “What’s your real name?”

“Psh. What’s yours?” Villanelle asked, folding her arms over her chest.

Eve shot her a look and sat down in one of the offered chairs. “Come sit down,” she said with a frown.

Villanelle wasn’t happy about it but she pushed off of the door frame and slumped into the chair beside Eve’s, putting her feet up on the desk.

“Oh my God,” Eve said under her breath. “Stop.”

“Take your feet off of my furniture,” Cyzarine said without malice, just a simple statement that was expected to be obeyed.

“Well, can you get me a footrest, then?” Villanelle asked, looking around.

Eve grabbed her by the ankles and jerked her feet off the desk, making sure she put them on the floor. “Stop it,” she said again. She knew this was hard for Ville but it was borderline embarrassing. She said she would never be embarrassed by Villanelle but she should have been more specific and said she would never be embarrassed unless Villanelle was _purposely_ trying to be embarrassing.

Cyzarine stood up and walked slowly around the desk, stopping to close the door before making her way to stand in front of Villanelle’s chair. “What is your real name?”

“Villanelle is my real name!” Villanelle raised her voice.

Cyzarine leaned over and put one hand on each of the arms of Villanelle’s chair, continuing to lean forward until their faces were an inch apart. “What was your name... _before_ you killed someone for the first time?”

Villanelle’s entire body went rigid at that and she tried to inch backward but she was already pressed up against the back of the chair. “What?”

Eve was on high alert as well, staring at the exchange with wide eyes. If this woman knew that Villanelle had killed people, _what_ was she doing standing so close?! Eve was not inclined to step in and help her at this point. If she wanted to poke the bear and she knew it was a bear she was poking, that was on her.

“You heard me. What was it?”

Villanelle glanced sideways at Eve. “Is it all right to tell her?” she squeaked.

Eve was shocked but she had no problem with it, and she actually thought it was pretty fucking sweet that Villanelle was asking her permission. “Um, sure, baby.”

Villanelle’s heart was pounding with something she’d never felt before, and it wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t good either. She swallowed and tried to move backward again, but there was still nowhere to go. “Oksana.”

Cyzarine lightly patted her cheek and stood up. “Oksana.”

“You cannot call me that, though,” Villanelle said, some of her breath returning as this lady stepped out of her personal space. Maybe she had been sucking up all of the air. Maybe that was why Villanelle had felt so... unnerved. Lack of air probably due to someone else in her face stealing it. “That is what Eve calls me when I am naughty.”

Eve fought the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose.

“And trying to break one of my St. Andrew’s Crosses is not naughty?” Cyzarine asked, shaking her head. “Oksanushka, you were playing with a very expensive toy and you did not treat it right.”

Villanelle felt the stirrings of something and wondered if she was supposed to be feeling that. She scooted her chair closer to Eve’s so the left side of hers was up against the right side of Eve’s. “Yeah, well, it didn’t break, so...”

Eve’s eyebrows shot up. This was getting more and more intriguing by the second. Oksanushka? Really? Pet names five minutes after introductions?

“Eve.”

Eve blinked and looked at Cyzarine. “Mm?”

“If you try to break something and it does not break, then it’s perfectly fine, yes?”

If that wasn’t a loaded question... “You said you wanted to help me help her. How is this helping?”

“I am in the information gathering stage,” Cyzarine said. “Please just answer my questions.”

“Okay, no, of course it’s not perfectly fine. If you try to break something, it’s naughty.”

Cyzarine looked at Villanelle. “Oksanushka. Would you agree?”

Villanelle had to agree now because Eve had said it. How fair was this? “Yes,” she mumbled.

“Speak up.”

“Uh! I said yes!”

“Very good. Come downstairs please, both of you.”

The dungeon was closed during the daytime so it was empty except for the assistant, whom Cyzarine excused to lunch when they reached the ground floor.

“What is she going to do to me down here, Eve?” Villanelle asked, almost in a sulk as she grabbed Eve’s arm and hugged it while they walked.

“Nothing, if you safeword. Don’t forget that,” Eve said, giving her a squeeze. “Otherwise, I have no idea.”

“My safety word is red,” Villanelle called out loudly as they came to a stop in one of the play spaces.

Cyzarine arched one lavender-dyed eyebrow. “Did I ask for your safe word?”

Villanelle scrunched up her whole face and looked at Eve plaintively. “She is the worst,” she whispered.

“I’m assuming you will ask for her safe word if you put your hands on her?” Eve challenged.

Villanelle felt a little smug at Eve coming to her rescue.

“I would have, yes, but since I now already know it, that has become moot, hasn’t it?” She leaned over and hefted an armful of chains out of a trunk to her left and dropped them on the floor at Eve’s feet. “Would you kindly assist me in chaining her up? Not on her wrists, of course. One will go around her shoulders, one around her waist and one around her ankles.”

“You—will I do what now?” Eve asked, staring at the chains.

“I cannot teach her to control her rage if I do not enrage her,” Cyzarine said patiently. “I simply wish to survive the experience. Please help me chain her up.” She looked at Villanelle. “Oksanushka, up on the cross, please, facing me, arms at your sides.”

Villanelle made a strangling kind of sound like she wanted to strangle the woman, because she sort of did want to, but she went and stood on the base of the cross and leaned her back against the frame, arms at her sides as asked. She was most assuredly pouting.

Eve chuckled at the look on Villanelle’s face and moved forward to give her a quick kiss. “Thank you for trying to behave, baby.”

“Only because of you, Eve,” Villanelle made sure to point out. Loudly.

Eve wrapped each chain around and Cyzarine secured each one with a padlock that had a touchspring release instead of a keyhole. One touch and they would each spring open in case Villanelle used her safe word. But Villanelle couldn’t reach them to undo herself because they were behind her and behind the frame.

“What are you going to do to me?”

“I am going to make you angry and teach you to locate and identify the seed, and then teach you to master it.” Without explaining further, she turned to Eve. “You look like a whore.”

Eve just blinked in surprise and glanced down at her clothes. They were casual, but jeez.

Villanelle, however, started trying to wriggle out of the chains. “What did you say?!”

Cyzarine stood just out of spitting reach and stared at Villanelle. “Where is your anger?”

“What? In my head!” Villanelle shouted.

“No. Try again. Feel it deeper. Where is it?”

“I feel it in my head. In my brain. I want to _hurt_ you!” Villanelle was still shouting; still trying to get out of the chains, intending to throw a good punch if she got free.

“No. It’s here.” Cyzarine stepped forward and laid a hand on Villanelle’s lower belly. “You need to recognize it here before it gets to your head. Once it’s in your head, it’s too late. Try to calm down now, knowing that I do not actually think your lover looks like a whore.”

Villanelle breathed through flared nostrils, the urge to hurt the woman still riding high, but she gritted her teeth and looked over at Eve, who looked fascinated. Seeing Eve’s expression of rapt attention and wonder helped her start to calm. Once she was under control, she nodded.

“Good, Oksanushka. I’m going to try again with something less volatile,” Cyzarine said, stepping back. “Focus on your belly and try to identify the exact moment you feel something twitch.”

Villanelle nodded again and made herself hyper aware of that part of her body, on alert for any changes.

“How many people have you thoughtlessly slaughtered?”

Villanelle gasped when she felt her belly tighten, and she forgot to be mad about the question. “When you said thoughtlessly, I knew what was coming next and my belly tightened a little. Is that what you mean?”

“Yes, good!” Cyzarine said, her tone much lighter than it had been so far. “May I kiss your cheek?”

“You will have to ask Eve about that, I am her property,” Villanelle said. “Did you see my tattoo when you were back there chaining me up like an animal?”

“May I?” Cyzarine asked Eve, ignoring the rest.

Eve was still stuck on _how many people have you thoughtlessly slaughtered?_ being LESS volatile than _Eve you look like a whore_. “Yeah,” she answered, shaking herself out of it. “Sure.”

Cyzarine stepped into Villanelle’s personal space and left a soft kiss on her cheek, then backed up again. “Very good, Oksanushka. You were able to identify and locate the seed. We will need to practice that many times before I can teach you to master it. Although I must say you did very well ignoring your anger in your excitement over your success. You did not even say anything threatening to me for my very rude question.”

Villanelle was rather proud of herself. “That _was_ a very rude question,” she agreed.

“Once you are able to master your rage, it will be your choice whether to let the seed flower. If you want to lose control, ignore the warning signs when you feel it in your belly. If you don’t want to lose control, you will be able to stop yourself.”

“This is excellent news. Do you hear this, Eve?”

“I do, baby,” Eve said, moving over to kiss her, soft but insistent. “I’m very proud.” She loved Villanelle’s beaming smile and kissed her again, then stepped back to let Cyzarine continue the lesson.

“The next thing I want you to do is feel the anger move from your belly to your head.”

“How do you know it will get to my head again? Maybe I am your best student and I have already figured out how to stop it from moving past my—”

Cyzarine reached sideways and wrapped her hand around Eve’s throat.

Villanelle vaguely felt the spark in her belly before she was screaming and thrashing, out of control.

Cyzarine immediately released Eve.

“Thanks for the heads up,” Eve muttered to herself, rubbing her throat.

“I will break your fucking fingers and remove them from your body!” Villanelle screamed. “Don’t you EVER FUCKING TOUCH EVE!”

“I did not hurt her,” Cyzarine said calmly and quietly so Villanelle would have to stop screaming if she wanted to hear. “I would never hurt her. She is perfectly all right, aren’t you, Eve?”

Eve moved to her thrashing lover and rested a hand on Ville’s cheek. “I’m fine, baby. She didn’t even squeeze.”

Villanelle felt Eve’s hand and heard Eve’s voice, and she wasn’t as far gone as the other night because she was still aware of her surroundings. She forced in a breath and forced it out, forced another in, forced it out, and leaned her cheek into Eve’s palm. “Okay,” she finally said after another minute or two. She narrowed her eyes at the lavender-haired woman. “Message received. You did not need to do that.”

“I’ve determined something I’ll point out to you both now,” Cyzarine said. She addressed Villanelle directly but it was clear that Eve was included. “Eve is your anchor, but she is also your most absolute trigger.”

“I love her,” Villanelle said in explanation. “We would kill for each other.”

“I have no doubt,” Cyzarine said.

“How did you know, by the way?” Villanelle asked suddenly.

Cyzarine gave a wistful smile. “Let’s just say we are kindred spirits.”

“You are also an assassin?”

“Ville!”

“No,” Cyzarine said, laughing for the first time in their presence. “But I have taken many lives.” She was serious again. “Looking at you the other night was like looking at myself five years ago.”

“And someone helped you by chaining you up and teaching you to find the seed of your anger?”

Cyzarine looked sheepish, which immediately caught both Eve’s and Villanelle’s attention. “No. This is my own method. His method was more... hands on. Speaking of which, it’s time for your spanking and then that’s enough for today.”

“Time for my what?” Villanelle made a face and looked at Eve. “Eve, are you going to let her do that to me?” She tried to look sweet and pathetic. She probably only looked pathetic. Looking sweet was very hard because she could not get the sweetness to reach her eyes ever. She could do almost any expression with her mouth, making it curl however she wanted, but her eyes were very independent and did not like to do what she wanted them to do. Maybe it was because of the windows to the soul thing she always heard about, and her soul was not the very sweetest. Not always.

“You have your safe word, baby. But I think it would be good for you. It was her furniture you tried to destroy, after all...”

“That you _let_ me try to destroy,” Villanelle said sourly. “Where is _your_ spanking, Eve?”

“This is about you, baby.” Eve snickered. “If you’re good for her and take your spanking, we can get ice cream on the way home.”

Villanelle loved that idea but she did not want to seem too eager so she rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Cyzarine walked around behind the frame and opened the padlocks. The chains fell away as soon as their bindings were released, and she put everything back into the trunk she’d gotten it from.

Villanelle flexed her muscles and rolled her neck, stretching out a little and then standing still. “Do not spank me very hard. I still have marks from getting whipped.”

Cyzarine stood in front of her and raised an eyebrow. “I will spank you as hard as I like,” she said simply. “Put away your attitude, Oksanushka, right now.”

Villanelle made an ‘oops’ face at Eve with her mouth drawn down like ‘well shit, I’m in trouble’, and then she looked back to lavender hair. She did not want to embarrass Eve by behaving like when they first got here, so she made herself be quiet and just nodded.

Cyzarine dragged a chair over and sat down. “Undo your pants.”

WELL, she was no nonsense now, Villanelle thought, and undid her pants.

“Down.”

Ooh, this lady was rude. She pushed her pants down, giving Eve an amused look. Eve’s furrowed brow in response made her settle down.

“And your underwear.”

Villanelle pushed them down.

“Bend over.”

She did.

“I am going to give you twenty. You will count each spank and say ‘thank you, Mistress Cyzarine’ after every one.”

“Eve, do I have to say that?”

“Yes, Ville.”

She frowned. This ganging up was even more rude than one-word demands. She didn’t have time to dwell on it because the lavender-haired lady spanked her right in the middle of her ass.

“Ow,” she complained, because she really was still sensitive and that really was painful. She did not count and she did not say thank you. She clenched her jaw.

Eve was going to say something but Cyzarine spoke first.

“That’s fine, Oksanushka. We will start over each time you fail to speak correctly.”

Villanelle really hoped Eve was not getting any terrible ideas from this lady. “One, thanks,” she said dryly.

“Starting over,” Cyzarine said, bringing her hand down again with a stinging slap.

“Ow,” Villanelle complained again. “Two, th—”

“I said we were starting over,” Cyzarine interrupted her. “We are starting over again.”

Villanelle squirmed at the third/FIRST smack and decided to re-think her stubborn refusal. “One,” she said more quietly. “Thank you.” She did not want to say the lady’s Mistress name. And she was not grateful so these very mean women were forcing her to lie.

“We are starting over again,” Cyzarine said without missing a beat.

Villanelle cried out at the next one because it landed on her thigh, which had taken more of a whipping than her ass, and she gave in. “One. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.” She did not like that. But she did not want to be spanked forever.

“Very good,” Cyzarine said, smacking the other thigh.

Villanelle winced and wanted to run over to Eve and get spoiled. “Two. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.” These words sounded so strange coming from her lips. She wondered if Eve thought so too.

Eve was basically a puddle of arousal watching Villanelle get taken to task by this formidable dungeon owner. God, Ville was so fucking hot, even when she was being a right brat.

By the time they got to ten, Villlanelle was starting to tear up. “Ten. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine. Please, it hurts. I’m sorry for mistreating your equipment.”

Eve wanted to reach for her lover so she put her hands behind her back. It was important for Villanelle to be able to get through something like this without her intervention.

The eleventh swat had her in tears, because it was on her thigh again and she was so sensitive. “El-even. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine. Please don’t spank me anymore.”

“You earned every one,” Cyzarine said, spanking her other thigh.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Twelve. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.” She turned her head to look at Eve. “Eve,” she begged.

Okay so looking at Ville’s tear-streaked face and hearing her ask for her, Eve really couldn’t hold back. “Give me two seconds,” she told Cyzarine, and when she got the confirming nod she was looking for, she moved to squat down in front of Villanelle and stroke her hair. “I’m so proud of you, baby. You’re doing so good. You can have two ice cream cones, okay? Just keep being my good girl. You can do this.”

Villanelle took extreme comfort in Eve’s closeness and her words, and she renewed her resolve, really wanting to be good for Eve. “I will,” she promised. “I will be your good girl.”

Eve kissed the back of her head and moved out of the way.

Cyzarine waited for Eve to move before her hand fell again.

It was hard and crisp and if this had been Eve spanking her, it would have gotten a little softer because she was crying and she had said she was sorry. But this lady did not love her, and they did not know each other, and she just wanted to get through it and make Eve proud. “Thirteen. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.”

Another.

She flinched. “Fourteen. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.”

Her thighs again.

She cried harder and tried so hard not to ask for Eve. “Fif-fifteen. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.” She pressed her lips tightly together and lifted one hand to cover her mouth because Eve’s name was on the tip of her tongue.

Eve had thought it was hot at first but now she was basically being tortured waiting for it to end so she could hold her baby.

“Do not forget that you have a safe word,” Cyzarine said quietly, “and that Eve will not be disappointed with you if you need to use it.”

“I—I can do it,” Villanelle insisted. She squeezed her eyes shut at the next spank. “Sixteen. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine.” Another. “Seventeen. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine. I’m sorry,” she cried. “Eve, I’m sorry...”

It was so difficult to watch someone else make Villanelle cry like this, and Eve’s eyes filled with tears too. She had literally stopped herself from moving forward at least five times within the last thirty seconds.

Cyzarine spanked Villanelle’s left cheek.

“Eighteen. Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine,” Villanelle said between heaving breaths. Two more and she could go to Eve. Just two more. It hurt so much but she would be proud of herself. She shrieked at the next one, right in the middle of her ass. “Nineteen! Thank you, Mistress Cyzarine,” she cried.

Eve clenched and unclenched her fingers, aching for the last one to be done.

The last one made her cries collect into a sob, and she reverted to Russian without thinking. “Двадцать! Спасибо, Mistress Cyzarine!”

Cyzarine laid a hand on her back and spoke gently. “Не за что, Оксанушка. You did well.” She looked to Eve.

As soon as Cyzarine looked at her, Eve stepped forward and crouched down in front of Villanelle again, kissing her head and murmuring to her. “I’m so proud, baby. So proud of you, Ville. Come here.”

Villanelle wanted to be good for Eve and show that she could be respectful to others, so she asked the lavender lady through her tears, “can I get up?”

“Yes,” Cyzarine said, removing her hand from Villanelle’s back.

Villanelle climbed off of her lap and went to her knees beside Eve, melting into her girlfriend’s arms. “I’m sorry about the furniture!” she wailed.

“You are such a good girl,” Eve praised her, stroking Ville’s hair and holding her tight. “Mistress Cyzarine forgives you for trying to break her toys, baby. She knows you were having a hard time. It’s okay, I promise. You did so, so well.”

“I’m sorry I said I was going to murder everyone! That was not very nice of me and I am sorry, Eve!”

“You were having a blackout, baby. Don’t even think about it. You’re so good, Ville, everything is okay. Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Villanelle sniffed.

“Then you believe me when I say you’re a good girl and that everything’s okay,” Eve said soothingly, rubbing her back now. Cyzarine was looking a little surprised in her peripheral vision, but when she looked at the lady of the dungeon, the expression closed off. “Do you need Mistress Cyzarine to tell you she forgives you?”

Villanelle just buried her face in Eve’s neck, not sure what to do. “I want to go home,” she cried.

“Of course, baby.”

“I do forgive you, Oksanushka,” Cyzarine said even though Villanelle hadn’t said she needed it. “And you were very good for your spanking. Eve has done a good job with you.”

Somehow, hearing Eve complimented was even better than hearing anything the lady could have to say about _her_ , and she started to relax. She liked it when people said nice things about Eve. She liked hearing nice things about herself, but hearing nice things about Eve was even better. And the fact that her behavior during the spanking is what made the lady say something nice about Eve? Well, that was even _better_. That she made Eve look good.

When she finally stopped crying, she whispered into Eve’s ear. “Do I still get ice cream?”

Eve squeezed the hell out of her. “Absolutely.”


	40. 4th Wall notes on the Cyzarine issue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I wanted to say some 4th wall stuff about Cyzarine based on the feedback!

Hi! So I was going to respond to concerns individually, but there were quite a few people who were unnerved by Cyzarine or didn't like her or what have you, so I think a group note would be better for the overarching concerns. For little things I will still respond individually.

First let me say thank you for being honest about your feelings about her, because that type of feedback is just as important to me as things people like about the story. Especially in a story as emotionally investing as this one, people's comfort level on a whole means a lot to me.

So. Cyzarine. I didn't include her point of view at all because to be honest, she is just a plot device to further Villanelle's emotional development and self-awareness. I think now though, that may have been an oversight. I probably should have included some of her thoughts, because I don't know how many people have experience with this type of mistress/person, but their actions are sometimes strikingly different from their thoughts. So while she honestly has the best of intentions and really wants to help Villanelle, it is because she sees herself in Ville and she knows how hard she struggled. I should have included some back story, but she is meant to be a minor character who only appears in a couple of chapters, so I didn't want to give her life story and make it seem out of proportion to her screen time.

She knows that Villanelle has killed people because she was there during the episode with the orgasm denial breakdown, and from the way Villanelle's voice was when she threatened to murder everyone and the sheer force of her struggles, to the point of hurting herself, Cyzarine could instantly tell that Ville had some of the same issues as herself.

If people would feel more comfortable knowing her back story and thoughts, I can bang out a history and post it as something related to this story but as a different post. Maybe one part for her history and one part for her current state of mind and thoughts on Eve and Ville. So just let me know if that would make people more comfortable, those of you who are not comfortable with her or the scene.

For those of you who a back story and point of view angle will likely not help you feel comfortable, please hang in there because she will not be in many chapters and the whole Cyzarine arc will only bring Eve and Ville closer together.

Again, thank you so much for your honesty and I hope this helps!


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter but important moments for the ladies, I think. Eve has to pull out Mommy in the department store because Villanelle is about to flat panic.

Eve realized she was going to have to tell the driver to stop for ice cream, and she wasn’t sure if that made her amused or annoyed. So she decided to go with amused. She rapped on the partition, since he always had it up now, and he lowered it. “Hey. I promised her ice cream, so can you stop by Parlour?”

Eve was pretty sure he was irritated, but to his credit, he just said, “Yes, Madam,” and shut the partition.

She moved all the way to one side so Villanelle could get in and lay down, and when Ville’s head landed in her lap she started stroking still-sweaty hair. “Do you know what flavors you want, baby?”

“I can still have two?” Villanelle asked quietly.

“Mhmm,” Eve said. “Of course.”

“Banana and Fior di Latte,” Ville said.

“Do you want two cones or both on one cone?”

“Two waffle cones?” Villanelle tried.

“Ha,” Eve said, tugging lightly on her hair. “You won’t eat dinner. Nice try though. Two regular cones or one waffle cone.”

Villanelle pouted but she wasn’t really upset.

***

She got ice cream all over her face and people stared as Eve wiped it off for her, but she didn’t care. “Can we go to the mall and replace Oksana’s outfit?” she asked on the way back to the car.

“Do you want the same one?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, baby.” She got into the car and rapped on the partition again, and the driver lowered it. “We need to stop by the mall, too.”

“My shift ends in fifteen minutes, Madam.”

Villanelle felt that seed in the pit of her belly and she focused, hard. What could she do to—“You can have the day off tomorrow, paid,” she said in a rush as soon as the idea came to her.

Eve recognized the edge in Villanelle’s tone and waited with bated breath for the driver’s response.

“Very well, Madams,” he said and shut the partition.

Villanelle exhaled sharply, looking down to see that her fingernails had dug into her palms just enough to draw a little blood, but... she’d done it. Her whole body relaxed and she climbed into the car, laying across the back seat with her head in Eve’s lap.

Eve noticed too. “You did it, baby. I saw that you were about to get angry... I know how hard it is for you when anyone tells you no.”

“I did do it,” Villanelle agreed, puffing up a little bit with pride. “All by myself.”

“I am so fucking proud of you,” Eve whispered.

“Thank you, Eve.”

Eve knew the thank you was not just for being proud.

***

The mall was crowded because people were all getting off work, and Eve started to feel a harbinger of dread when the children’s section had been updated. _Oh Lord, please let them have the Batman shirt and Minion pajama pants_...

They didn’t. And she watched Villanelle start to panic.

“Eve,” Villanelle said, her eyes filled with tears, vision glassy as she grabbed hold of Eve’s blouse with both hands. “No, Eve, no no no, this outfit is very special to me Eve and I have to have it, mine was ruined and I have to have it, Eve...” Her voice was getting louder and shakier with every word, and she felt like the department store ceiling was about to crash down and kill her.

“Baby, it’s okay, I need you to breathe, okay baby? Just breathe and listen to Mommy, okay? Can you do that for Mommy, Oksana?”

Villanelle gasped in a breath, the panic seizing her chest loosening a little, but she was still very much on edge. Tears spilled over her cheeks and she pressed herself tightly up against Eve.

“Good girl,” Eve said, cursing the stupid fucking department store for not just always having the same fucking thing for sale. “We have two options, Oksana. We have two options, honey. Are you listening?”

Villanelle breathed. She was getting Eve’s blouse all wet. “Yes, Mommy,” she whispered.

“How many options do we have, Oksana?”

“Two, Mommy.”

“Good girl. Are you breathing? Good girl. Okay, the first option is to look online and order the Batman shirt and Minion pajama pants online. I’m sure we’ll be able to find them. Are you still with me, Oksana?”

“Yes, Mommy.” Her heart was thudding against her ribs but it was starting to slow down.

“Good girl. We can look online, or we can look around here and see if there’s anything else you might like. There might be some really cool stuff that you haven’t seen before, right? You might find something you like even better than Batman and Minions. You’re a little older now, so maybe we should look around. But it’s up to you, Oksana. You just tell Mommy what you want to do.”

“Can we do both?” Villanelle asked, her voice very soft.

Eve hugged her closer and kissed the top of her head. “Sure, baby. You’ve been a really good girl.”

Villanelle breathed for a few more minutes and felt herself back on solid ground. She squeezed Eve for all she was worth and wiped her tears on Eve’s shoulder. “Thank you, Eve. You are so amazing. I did not know what I was going to do. I know it is just a stupid outfit, but—”

“It’s not stupid, Ville. Objects have a very special significance to you in a way that’s tied to your memories. I understand.”

Villanelle gasped and pulled back to look at Eve with wide eyes. “How did you know that, when I did not even know that?” she asked, stunned. That made so much sense. So much that she felt a lot less ridiculous for freaking out over a children’s outfit.

“I don’t know, I just... know you, I guess. It’s not about the clothes themselves, it’s about what they mean. And you lost that outfit unexpectedly. It probably feels like you’re going to forget the times you had while you were wearing it if you don’t get it back.”

Villanelle’s chest was seizing again, but in a different way. “That is exactly how it feels,” she breathed, just staring at Eve, who never ceased to amaze her. “I do not understand how you could know this, and even more, how you could explain this in words that make sense. You are so special, Eve... there has never been anyone like you before and there never will be.”

Eve kissed her. “I won’t let you forget mini golf and manipulating me into two ice cream cones. If you want, we can record ourselves talking about it, or we can write about it and make a scrapbook.”

Villanelle was about to burst into tears again when a small child ran by and stepped on her foot... and she had never been so grateful for that little seed of anger... because instead of bursting into tears again, she shouted at the child to watch where he was going and muttered about how rude children were. And then she let Eve spoil her and get her three new outfits for Oksana.


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle communicates well, and they talk a little about the dungeon.

When they are snuggled on the sofa after Eve has changed her bandages, Villanelle looks at her. “Eve?”

“Yeah baby?”

“Can I be Oksana all day tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

“I just feel like a lot of really important things have happened lately and I need a break.”

Eve was floored by the communication skills Villanelle was displaying at the moment. “I agree,” she said, kissing Ville’s forehead. “I think it’s a good idea for you to take a day off. And I love that you recognize that.”

“You won’t mind being my mommy for a whole day?”

“Of course not. How could I mind when Oksana is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen?”

“ _Eve_ , she is _not_ ,” Villanelle said, blushing.

“She really is, though,” Eve said with a laugh.

“Good, then she can misbehave all she wants and you will never punish her,” Villanelle said dreamily.

“Eehhh,” Eve said, not sure about that one. “I don’t know if I’d go that far. I wouldn’t be a very good mommy if I just let her do whatever she wants.”

Villanelle thought about it for a minute and finally agreed. “I guess that is true. And you are definitely a very good mommy. I would not want you to be any different than you are. You make Oksana feel very safe and special, always.”

“I love her, you know,” Eve said after a minute or so. “She feels like mine.”

“She is,” Villanelle assured her, snuggling closer. “She is yours. And she loves you very much.”

“Well then that’s perfect,” Eve said, tilting Ville’s head up for a kiss. “How’s your backside feeling, baby? Any better?”

“Yes,” Villanelle said with a sigh. “It still hurts a lot. But it is better.”

“Would you like me to massage some lotion in for you? The aloe vera-infused one?”

Villanelle almost moaned at the thought. “That would be so wonderful. Thank you, Eve.”

“Why don’t you get naked and go lay on the bed,” Eve suggested, patting Ville’s knee.

“With pleasure,” Villanelle purred, wiggling off of Eve’s lap and starting to strip on her way to the bedroom.

Eve chuckled and got up, following her in with a detour to the bathroom for the lotion, and when she saw the state of Ville’s ass and thighs, she let out a whine, she knew she did. She tried not to. And failed, obviously. But come on... her baby.

She walked over and sat down next to Villanelle at her waist, and pumped some of the lotion onto one hand. “While I do this, I want to tell you something,” she said, and began to very gently start rubbing in the lotion over one cheek.

Villanelle groaned, because the sensation was bittersweet. It flared the pain because Eve was touching the welts, but the lotion and the rubbing were really soothing. “Okay,” she said quietly. “You can tell me anything.”

Eve kept up the gentle rubbing as she talked. “It was really hard for me to watch someone else make you cry.” She pumped more lotion and started with the other cheek. “Like, really, extremely hard. I almost interrupted at least five times. Probably more.”

Villanelle’s eyes went slightly wide at the confession. “You seemed very together, Eve... if it was hard for you, why did you let it happen? I do not want you to be distressed. I would have understood if you stopped things.”

Eve got more lotion and was even more careful with Ville’s welted thighs. The welts had definitely been irritated by the spanking, but she hadn’t broken any skin with the flogger so there was no risk of infection or anything. “I knew it was important to you to take your spanking for me. And I was really proud of you, and it made me so happy that you wanted to do that for me, and for yourself. I didn’t want to ruin that. It’s not that I was upset or uncomfortable with the scene, it was just so hard to watch you cry without being right there holding you.”

Villanelle was afraid she was going to melt into a puddle and ruin the Liliana Rizzari duvet. “Eve,” she whispered. “That is so romantic and beautiful... and you know I love it when you are proud of me. It was... it was hard for me too, for someone else to hurt me and for you not to hold me through it, but I was proud of myself. I am proud of myself. I know that you love me for who I am, but I still want to keep trying to be a better human because you inspire that in me.”

Eve didn’t even realize she was crying until a tear dropped onto her hand. She glanced down and stared in awe for a minute while she finished rubbing in the lotion, and then she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand to verify, and yes, she was crying. “You are a perfect human,” she whispered.

“Eve, you are crying!” Villanelle said, pushing up onto her knees and turning to face Eve in alarm. She could hear it in Eve’s voice.

“They’re not bad tears,” Eve promised with a little chuckle. “I’m not sad. I’m really, really happy. I never thought I could be so happy with someone. All the time with Niko, it was... nice. Honestly, it was nice. That’s all it was. It was never passionate or volatile or emotionally charged, it wasn’t the kind of romance that you and I think is romantic, it was flowers and cards and boring dinner dates. It was never something I couldn’t live without. _You_ are something I can’t live without.”

Villanelle was overwhelmed and did not know what to do with her emotions, so she did the best thing she could think to do and leaned forward to kiss Eve. She poured everything she felt into the kiss, because words were not enough right then, and she knew Eve would understand this language. Her hands went to the buttons on Eve’s blouse and Eve let her undo them. A frisson of excitement snaked up her spine and she shivered as she pushed the blouse off of Eve’s shoulders.

Eve leaned into the kiss and let her shirt fall to the floor, running her hands lightly over Ville’s shoulders and down her arms, then back up to her shoulders, and Villanelle’s fingers were working the catch of her pants.

Villanelle got the catch undone and lowered the zipper, and she stroked Eve’s bare stomach, and they were still kissing.

Eve broke the kiss to stand up and let her pants fall down, then sat again and they picked up the kiss where she had just left it. Villanelle’s hands were shaking almost violently and for some reason that just made Eve even more turned on, and she let Ville guide her to lay on her back.

Villanelle reached underneath Eve and unhooked her bra, sliding it off and dropping it over the edge of the bed, then slid her panties slowly down and off, dropping them as well. She almost passed out when Eve’s thighs shifted apart in invitation. Fuck. Her hands shot to Eve’s calves and when she realized she was squeezing too hard, she gasped and relaxed her grip.

Eve’s breathing was going to shit. Especially when she saw Villanelle trying to control the force of her touch. “It’s okay, baby. You can leave marks.”

Villanelle’s fingers tightened again reflexively, the air whooshing out of her lungs. “Do you _want_ me to leave marks, Eve?”

“Yeah.”

“Marks that people can see, or marks that are just for us?”

“Marks everywhere, Ville.” The way she spoke was lazy, but the desire behind the words was not.

Villanelle shuddered and pressed her thighs tightly together, digging her thumbs into the sides of Eve’s calves. She dropped her head and sucked a mark onto the inside of Eve’s left knee, then another one every single inch on the way to her left thigh. It was beautiful to look at.

Eve glanced down when Ville reached her thigh and groaned at the hickeys lined up all the way down her leg. “Very linear, baby,” she couldn’t help teasing, but her voice was thick with arousal so it didn’t come out as teasing as she meant it.

“It will be very symmetrical in just a moment, Eve,” Villanelle whispered, and she backed down the bed, starting with Eve’s right knee and performing the same oral ritual up to her right thigh. She didn’t stop there, ghosting her tongue across Eve’s slick folds and continuing up to her belly, moving her hands from Eve’s calves to her hips and digging in.

She had to use her teeth to mark Eve here because her belly was flat and Villanelle couldn’t gain enough purchase with her lips. Eve squirmed under her and it was amazing. She marked both hips and several of Eve’s ribs, and she sucked so many bruises onto Eve’s breasts that there was barely any pale skin showing through.

Eve was a mess, wriggling beneath Ville’s mouth and hands, arching her back, moaning into the thickened air of their shared space. Villanelle was so reverent with her, even while marking her up. This woman made her feel like a goddess, _always_ , and no words or thoughts could describe how special that was.

Villanelle continued across each side of Eve’s collarbone and worshiped both of her shoulders, arms and hands, leaving a few marks here and there, and then she latched onto Eve’s neck. As she sucked, she could feel a hunger rising, like she was a creature of the night and Eve’s blood was calling to her, and if her teeth were any sharper she would be breaking Eve’s skin.

“Ah!” Eve made a little noise because that one _hurt_ , and Villanelle was instantly apologetic, soothing with her tongue and keeping her teeth away.

She hadn’t meant to bite so hard, and she laved her tongue all around the offended area, licking, swirling, bathing, until Eve relaxed again and then she moved on, marking all along one side of Eve’s jaw and more gently on the other side of her throat. She wound her hands in Eve’s hair after that and kissed her again. “I love you,” she murmured against Eve’s lips. “What would you like for me to do, Eve?”

“I love you, Ville,” Eve murmured back. “I’m really wet, baby. I’d like you to take care of that for me,” she said in answer to the question, shifting her hips. “How do you feel about that? Would you like to do that?”

“Very much,” Villanelle hummed, dislodging one hand from the curls it was wrapped around and crawling her fingers down between Eve’s legs. She gasped when they slipped, and then she groaned, because she had made that. _She_ had made the slick that was coating her fingertips. _She_ had made Eve so excited. She pushed two of her fingers in, groaning again because Eve was so hot inside. The way Eve’s hips shifted to meet her hand was going to drive her insane. She started a slow, steady rhythm that very soon wasn’t enough and she sped up. Then two fingers wasn’t enough so she made it three. Eve’s cunt was swallowing everything she had to offer and asking for more, and she sped up again, fairly pounding her lover until Eve cried out loudly and exploded on her hand.

It was beautiful, watching Eve come. Villanelle would never forget the way Eve’s face looked when she hit the edge and fell over it, and she would _never_ forget the way her name sounded tumbling from Eve’s lips mid-orgasm. Like a call to the divine.

Eve lay there shaking for a few seconds after she finished coming, and she groaned at the loss when Villanelle’s fingers slid out. “Baby, that was so good,” she panted, reaching up to stroke Ville’s hair. “ _So_ good.”

Villanelle sucked her fingers clean and stretched out on her side facing Eve, putting an arm around her girlfriend and laying her head on Eve’s shoulder. “It was amazing for me too,” she said with a lazy smile. “I liked that you said my name when I made you come.”

“You were on my mind a little at the time,” Eve teased.

“I’m so sleepy,” Villanelle said a minute later with a yawn.

Eve rolled onto her side so they were facing each other and held Ville’s head to her chest while she dipped her other hand between Villanelle’s thighs and gently rubbed her clit until she felt her lover stiffen and relax. “Good night, baby.”

“Good night,” Villanelle mumbled, the hazy afterglow of orgasm lulling her quickly to sleep.


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oksana learns a valuable lesson about stealing. Otherwise her day with Mommy is perfect.
> 
> (No randos ruining it. I still laugh when I think about that comment. I <3 it.)

Villanelle woke up in an empty bed, blinking and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, and noticed two things at the same time. One, Eve had left an outfit for her at the end of the bed, and two, she smelled breakfast.

She got dressed quickly and left the bedroom, finding Eve still cooking, and walked up next to her, snuggling against her side. “G’morning, Mommy,” she mumbled into Eve’s robe.

“Careful of the stove,” Eve said, setting down the spatula and stepping back, tugging Ville with her. “Good morning, baby.” She kissed the top of Ville’s bedhead. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” Villanelle said with a yawn. “I was so sleepy.”

“Me too,” Eve said, kissing her head again. “Breakfast is almost ready; why don’t you set the table? Just leave the plates on the counter, but get glasses and silverware.”

“Okay,” Villanelle agreed, rubbing her eyes again and opening the cabinet, taking out two plates. She put them on the counter, then got two glasses and took them to the table, then forks and knives. “Do we need spoons, Mommy?”

“No, unless you want to use a spoon for your eggs instead of a fork,” Eve said, finishing the bacon and shutting off the stove.

“I will use a fork,” Villanelle decided and sat down.

“Then we do not need spoons.” Eve smiled over at her and then dished up two plates of bacon, eggs and potatoes. She joined her baby at the table and put Ville’s plate in front of her.

“It smells so _good_ , Mommy,” Villanelle said, taking a deep breath. “Thank you for making me breakfast.”

“You are very welcome, baby.”

***

They ate and Villanelle helped Eve with the dishes by drying them off and putting them away, and then they watched Oksana’s favorite My Little Pony movie, and then Eve had to do a little work so Villanelle was sitting on the floor pouting while she colored a picture.

She decided to play dress up instead and went into the closet, taking one of Eve’s fancier dresses and slipping it on over her clothes – the blue one. She took the dark blue watch that she’d nicked from the neighbors last week and put it on because it matched perfectly, and she was just coming out of the bedroom when Eve finished working.

“All done,” Eve called, and when Ville got closer to the sofa, she blinked. “What is that?”

“I wanted to wear one of your dresses, Mommy. Doesn’t it look pretty?” She twirled around once for effect and came to a stop in front of Eve.

“It’s beautiful, Oksana, but that’s not what I’m asking about.” She took Villanelle’s wrist and held it up. “This is not your watch.”

Villanelle’s eyes went wide. How did Eve know that? “Yes it is,” she lied.

Eve’s jaw dropped. “And now you’re g—you think it’s oka—Oksana Astankova, where did you get this watch?”

Oh noooo, the full name. “I found it,” she lied again.

Eve didn’t say anything. She just marched Villanelle to the corner and stood her in it. She knew exactly where her lover had gotten that watch. How many dark blue BVLGARI watches could there be in one building? It belonged to the neighbor. She recalled seeing him in the stairwell.

_“Rolex?”_

_“BVLGARI.”_

_“Nice.”_

She couldn’t believe her little girl was lying right to her face. “You’re going to stand here until you’re ready to tell me the truth,” she said, and returned to the sofa. “Your nose had better not come out of that corner an inch, Oksana.”

Villanelle’s stomach was in tatters. She barely dared to breathe as she stared at the wall, making sure she didn’t move an inch while she built up the courage to tell Eve the truth. Even though Eve obviously already knew it. It was still hard, especially since she had just lied twice in a row.

Villanelle stood there for almost half an hour before Eve heard a quiet confession.

“I took it.”

She breathed out slowly. “Come here, Oksana.”

Villanelle walked over with shaky steps and stood in front of Eve, staring at the floor.

“Take off Mommy’s dress, please.”

She took the dress off and set it gently on the coffee table.

“And take off the watch. You’re going to return it and apologize.”

“What?!” Villanelle literally shrieked, her voice shrill enough to hurt her own ears. “No, Mommy, no way, I can’t, please don’t make me do that Mommy I’ll never steal from the neighbors again I promise...”

Eve turned her head away quickly and bit her cheek to keep from laughing, because of course Villanelle didn’t promise never to steal again, just not to steal from their neighbor. She took a breath and turned back to her little girl. “This is not up for discussion. You are taking it off, we are going to the neighbor’s apartment, and you are going to apologize to his face.”

“NO!” Villanelle screamed, and she turned and ran into the bedroom and slammed the door.

Eve stared after her, a little surprised, honestly, and could hear her screaming into a pillow. Normally Oksana would earn a spanking for behavior like that, but it was out of the question after yesterday. So she just waited.

Ville came out roughly fifteen minutes later with a tear-stained face and took off the watch, handing it to her. She waited for Ville to say something first.

Villanelle stared at the floor, feeling so many things, but mostly embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Mommy,” she whispered.

Eve wanted to hug her, but she would wait. “I do not like being yelled at, Oksana.”

Villanelle whimpered and shifted her weight. “I know, Mommy. I’m really sorry.”

She was so quiet Eve could barely hear her. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Oksana.”

Villanelle almost started to cry again, shuffling her feet awkwardly. “I know, Mommy.”

“Sit down.” She waited for Ville to sit and then continued. “Why did you steal the watch when we have plenty of money to buy you anything you want?”

That was the million-dollar question, and Villanelle had no answer. “I don’t know,” she said honestly.

“Did the neighbor do something to upset you?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Did his wife do something to upset you?”

“No, Mommy.”

“Did you plan it ahead of time or did you just see it and take it?”

She scooted a little closer to Eve. “I did not plan it ahead of time. But when I saw it... I bumped into him on purpose so I could take it.”

Villanelle still hadn’t looked at her and she crooked a finger under her little girl’s chin, lifting her head until their eyes met. “Stealing is wrong, Oksana.”

Villanelle took a slow breath. She knew it was fundamentally wrong, she’d just never had a reason to care before. “Please, Mommy, I’m so sorry,” she choked out around a mouthful of regret. She did not like Eve being disappointed with her, as Villanelle or as Oksana. It was the absolute worst.

“If you want a watch like this, ask me to buy one for you. If you’ve been a good girl, you can get what you want. I don’t want you stealing again, do you understand me, Oksana?”

Eve sounded so _stern_ and it made her squirm, and feel bad about taking something that wasn’t hers... for the first time in her life. “I will try so hard, Mommy... please, do you still love me?”

“Of course I still love you, baby. There is nothing you could ever do that would make me stop loving you. I’m disappointed, but that has nothing to do with how much I love you.”

That much was a relief, at least. “I love you.”

Eve pulled her into a hug, just for a few seconds to reassure her, and then held her at arms’ length. “Okay, let’s go face the music.”

Villanelle wanted to run. Run, run, just run and not stop until she was too far away to apologize to the neighbors. But then she would be far away from Eve too, and that would not be okay. She was just so very nervous and uncomfortable. Her stomach was eating itself inside out. “Will you hold my hand?”

Eve nodded and took her hand, and they left the apartment, walked down the hall, and Ville knocked on the neighbors’ door.

The wife answered. She looked confused to see them at her door, her gaze lingering particularly long on Villanelle’s Powerpuff Girl outfit. “Hi...?”

“Hi, I’m Eve and this is Oksana, and we’re your neighbors down the hall. Oksana has something to tell you.”

Villanelle was almost hyperventilating with embarrassment and her face was burning so hot she knew she was blushing. “I... I... I stoleyourhusband’swatchandIamsorry,” she said, hesitant at first but then saying the rest all in one breath.

Eve held out the watch.

The woman looked horrified, though Eve couldn’t be sure if it was about the theft or the current situation. She didn’t take the watch. “I’m picking my husband up at Heathrow... come back in an hour and deal with him, if you wouldn’t mind?”

Villanelle thought she was going to drop dead. She had to come back and do this _again_? Oh, Goddddddddddd.

“Of course,” Eve said with a smile. “Thank you so much for your time.” She ushered Villanelle back down the hall and into their apartment.

“Please do not make me do that again, Mommy,” Villanelle begged.

“You are doing it again, in one hour, and I hope the next time you feel the urge to steal something, you will remember how you feel right now. You’re on time out for the next hour, so go to your room, please.”

Villanelle fought the tears and just went to her room, closing the door quietly behind her, and crawled into bed. The next thing she knew, Eve was shaking her awake.

“Oksana... Oksana... baby, wake up. It’s time to go.”

Villanelle whined and rolled over, but ultimately gave up and got out of bed. She trudged along the hallway after Eve and knocked on the door again. Maybe they wouldn’t be home. Nope, she heard footsteps. The door opened and she was face to face with her victim. “I’m Oksana and I stole your watch and I am sorry,” she said before she chickened out.

“You what?” the man asked, taking the watch from Eve with a bit of an awestruck expression. “Honestly, I thought it was _you_ who’d nicked it, after you admired it in the lift. The stairwell, what have you.” He turned back to Villanelle. “Did your mummy make you come apologize?” he teased, of course having no idea that’s exactly what had happened.

“Jake!” Eve heard from inside the apartment.

“What? Come on, I’m just _joking_ ,” he said with a laugh. “She’s wearing a children’s outfit, that’s all.”

Villanelle moved halfway behind Eve, her face burning hot again.

The man stared at them. “I mean I was—I _was_ joking,” he said, not looking so sure now. “You’re not actually her mum, are you?” His eyes went a little wide. “Adopted, I mean, of course... Because you can’t... be... genetics... dominant genes...”

“I’m a dominant gene, all right,” Eve snorted. “Have a great afternoon.”

She left him gaping as they turned to leave, and they’d only taken a few steps when she heard the door close and heard him say from within, “bloody hell, Arlene, the back of her neck says Eve’s Property!”

“Yes, that’s the brunette’s name,” she heard the wife’s reply. And then whatever they said next was too low to come through the wall.

When they were once again in their apartment, door shut behind them, Eve hugged her baby. “I’m proud of you, Oksana.”

Villanelle hugged back tight. “Do I go back to time out?” she asked softly.

“No, I think you’ve learned your lesson, haven’t you?”

“Yes,” she said immediately. “Yes, Mommy, I never want to have to do that again.”

“That’s my good girl,” Eve said, kissing the top of her head. “It’s about lunch time, baby. Are you hungry?”

Villanelle nodded against Eve’s chest.

“Do you want to go to The Botanist or Côte Brasserie, or do you feel like staying home for lunch?”

Villanelle gasped and put her hands together in front of her, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Mommy, could we go to Comptoir Libanais? With the pink walls and different color chairs? Please, Mommy?”

“Lebanese food, huh? I could definitely do with some hommos...”

“We can get the mezze platter for two, Mommy... it has hommos and lots of other stuff, remember?”

“If we are going out, I need to brush your hair. Can you go get me the brush?”

“Yes!” Villanelle squeaked, kissing Eve on the cheek and flitting off, returning about fifteen seconds later with the hairbrush. “You are the best at brushing hair, Mommy,” she said, handing it over and sitting on the sofa, facing one of the arms.

“Thank you, baby,” Eve said, kneeling on the sofa behind her and starting to brush out the ends first. It really was a tangled mess. Ville said ow once or twice but for the most part, Eve was careful enough that she got through the snarls without pulling too much. “There we go. Silky smooth again,” she said when she was done. “Why don’t I put it up so it doesn’t get like that again?”

“Be right back.” Villanelle skipped to the bathroom again and came back with a hairtie, resuming her seat.

Eve took the band and put Ville’s hair up into a ponytail, tightening it appropriately, and then they were ready.

***

“Do you remember the pink walls, Mommy?” Villanelle asked as they got close to the restaurant doors. They had taken the metro because Ville had given their driver the day off, and the 211 went from right near their apartment building over to Sloane Square. It was only a few-minute walk from the Lower Sloane Street K Stop to the restaurant.

“I do remember the pink walls,” Eve said, opening the door and letting Ville go in first. “And the colorful chairs. What color do you want?”

“Pink, Mommy,” Villanelle whispered in her ear as the host came over to greet them.

“Welcome to Comptoir Libanais,” he said with a flourish. “Two for dine in?”

“Yes, thank you. Can she have a pink chair, please?”

“Certainly, Madams. Right this way.” He picked up two menus and led them to a table with a pink chair on one side and a booth seat on the other.

Villanelle clapped silently and slid onto the chair while Eve sat across on the garish padded bench. “We would like the mezze platter for two, please,” Ville said, looking up at him in earnest.

“Excellent. And to drink?”

“A Roomana lemonade, please.”

Eve loved the way her baby was smiling and using such good manners. “Roza lemonade for me, please.”

“Thank you ladies, I will get this put in right away.” He gave a slight bow and disappeared into the back, never having set down the menus.

“My chair is pink, Mommy,” Villanelle whispered, squirming around. “And the table is shiny.”

“Maybe you’ll get a pink plate, too,” Eve whispered back.

“I do not think they have pink plates, but that is okay, because my chair is pink and it is perfect. Thank you Mommy for bringing me to eat here.”

“Oksana, you are the cutest thing, do you know that?” She watched Ville blush.

“ _Mommy_ ,” Villanelle complained quietly. “What if a kid from school was here and _heard_ you?”

“You realize you’re just being even cuter now?” Eve asked, raising an eyebrow.

Villanelle folded her arms on the table and hid her face in them. “Mommy,” she groaned, just as the waitress came with their drinks.

The waitress stopped short and stared at Eve, then at Villanelle, then back at Eve with a look that clearly said “should I take a few silent steps back and then approach more loudly and pretend I didn’t hear that?”

Eve wasn’t sure how she got all of that information from a look, but somehow she did, and she shook her head with a grin, waving the woman over.

“Okay, here are your drinks,” the waitress announced, setting the pomegranate orange blossom in front of Villanelle and the lemon-lime rose in front of Eve.

Villanelle’s head shot up, eyes wide, but the waitress just winked at her and walked away. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Eve tried not to laugh. The waitress did sort of look like she could be an adventurous kind of girl. “It’s okay, baby.”

Villanelle looked sheepish. “The last time we were out, Mommy, that boy was mean.”

“But we scared him off, didn’t we?”

Villanelle beamed now. “Yes! We did. He was very scared.”

***

After lunch Villanelle talked Eve into letting her get ice cream with date and tahina molasses, and she shared it happily. It came with three scoops which was too much even for her.

Her sleeves slipped down as she was tightening her ponytail and the waitress smirked as she dropped off the check.

“Somebody was naughty, hmm?”

Villanelle froze and gave Eve the ‘eek’ look, realizing her bandages were showing, but Eve just laughed. “You have no idea.”

“I have a naughty one at home just like you,” the waitress said, giving Ville a wink as she headed off to another table.

Villanelle was sooooo offended. “I am not naughty!” she called after the retreating woman, then spun on Eve. “ _Mommy_ , you told her I am naughty.”

“Everybody’s naughty sometimes, baby.”

“Yes and right now it’s _you_ ,” Villanelle sulked.

“Oksanaaaa,” Eve whined playfully.

Villanelle’s eyes widened. “Now you are going to whine? Mommy, you are in trouble. There is no whining in the Astankova-Polastri household.”

Eve dissolved into laughter and reached across the table to squeeze Ville’s hand. “Come on, naughty girl, let’s go.” She left cash for the bill and a tip on the table and they made their way back to the metro station.

***

“Will you color with me?”

“What do you want to color?”

“My bedroom walls.”

“What?!”

“Just kidding, Mommy. You should see your face. I will get my coloring b—oh it is still on the coffee table. And my crayons. I’m sorry I did not clean up before we left.”

“We were very busy,” Eve said, settling down on the floor and picking up a crayon. “Do I get one page and you get one or are we coloring the same page?”

“If we color the same page you will put colors on that I don’t like,” Villanelle said matter-of-factly. “You choose a page and I will color the one next to it.”

Eve snorted and nudged her. “Thanks for that. My rude little thing.”

“It is not rude, it is just honest. You want me to be honest, don’t you, Mommy?”

Villanelle’s eyes were big and innocent, and Eve grabbed her and tickled her sides. “You... are a brat,” she said as Ville tried to fend off the attack. “And I love you.”

Villanelle shrieked and batted Eve’s hands away and ended up on the floor laughing. “Mommy, you are the worst...”

“I know. I know.”

***

She sent Ville to bed at eight thirty, to much protesting and forbidden whining and even a stomp that got a warning, and finally at ten after nine, Ville was in bed.

“I love you, Oksana...”

“ _I LOVE YOU TOO_!!!”

She was in bed, but not happy about it. Eve backed out of the room and closed the door almost all the way, leaving just a crack so it wouldn’t be dark.


	44. Chapter 44

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cyzarine invites the ladies to a Pimps 'n' Hoes party at the dungeon. Daddy!Eve takes Ville to the party. (Daddy kink in this chapter, in case that wasn't just clear.)

Eve was doing some random work on the sofa when Villanelle trudged out of the bedroom and flopped down next to her, groaning. “Good morning,” she said with a snort.

“It is so early,” Villanelle complained.

“Why are you up? I was letting you sleep.” She was always up before Ville.

”Because you sent Oksana to bed at eight thirty!” Villanelle said incredulously, but then settled a little and added another reason. “And because if I roll over and you are not there, I wake up. That is not the independent kind of woman I am used to being, _Eve_.”

“You can’t possibly be trying to blame me for this,” Eve said, staring at her.

“Who else am I going to blame? It’s just the two of us here and it is certainly not _my_ fault.”

“Well, it could be nobody’s fault,” Eve suggested. “It’s not like I told you you can’t sleep without me in the bed.”

“You are missing the point,” Villanelle groaned again, sliding down and putting her head in Eve’s lap.

“Which is?”

“Uh! Which is that I am awake because you are not in bed.”

“Are you asking me to come back to bed?”

“No.”

“Villanelle!”

Villanelle put her arms around Eve and pressed her face against Eve’s tummy. “I think I am trying to say that I missed you,” she mumbled. “I am not feeling a lot of success with this.”

Eve laughed and ran her fingers through Ville’s hair. “I missed you too, baby. I always miss you when I wake up first. Which is always. So I guess I miss you every morning.”

“That is romantic.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Mhmm.”

Eve’s phone beeped and she glanced at the screen, then snorted out a laugh. “Oh boy. There’s a Pimps ‘n’ Hoes party at the dungeon on Friday night and Cyzarine is asking if we want to be her guests.”

Villanelle shot upright. “A _costume_ party?”

“I’m sensing your interest.”

“You will be my pimp?”

“Judging by your reaction, I’d say it’s looking that way, yes...” Eve couldn’t contain her amusement.

“Are you going to wear a purple suit?”

“Ha! I’m not going as A Pimp Named Slickback, I’m just going as a pimp. I’ll wear a regular suit. Probably pinstriped.”

“I do not know who that person is, but a pinstriped suit sounds very delicious. I just think of purple when I think of a pimp. I do not know why. Are you going to be my daddy?”

Eve almost lost her breakfast in surprise. “Oh, God.”

“I am sensing your interest.”

“You want me to be your daddy? At a public party?”

“It’s looking that way, yes.”

“You are a cheeky little brat,” Eve said at having her words thrown back at her, twice.

***

Friday came at a normal speed for Eve and verrrrryyyyyyyyy ssslllloooowwwwllllyyyy for Villanelle.

They were all ready to go, Eve in her suit, a smart bun and glasses, oh and packing of course, and Villanelle in her collar and a skimpy red dress that barely covered her ass. Eve clipped on the leash and when they were at the door, she stopped suddenly and turned. “You don’t want to be denied an orgasm again, do you?”

“NO,” Villanelle said instantly and loudly.

“Just checking,” Eve said and opened the door. She tugged Ville out into the hallway by the leash and Jake was just coming out of his apartment down the hall as Ville stumbled into her, and she watched him turn around and go right back inside. She snorted a laugh and shut the door, making sure it was locked, then tugged Villanelle toward the stairwell. “Did you see the neighbor?”

“No, I was too busy trying not to fall after my girlfriend so rudely tugged on my leash without telling me she was going to.”

Eve snickered and kissed the side of her face. “He saw us and went right back into his apartment.”

Villanelle laughed, extra loud as they passed Jake and Arlene’s door, and let it die down as they descended the stairs. “Good thing we have our driver tonight.”

“Why’s that? You don’t want to be ogled on the metro?”

“I don’t want people ogling _you_ on the metro. I want to go to the party, not to prison,” Villanelle said, rolling her eyes.

Eve choked on her own air at that and slung an arm around Ville’s waist on the way down so she wouldn’t accidentally tug the leash and make her girlfriend fall. When they reached the bottom she slid her hand down and under Ville’s dress to squeeze her ass.

Villanelle purred at the attention and climbed into the car, sliding over to make room for Eve, and then they were on their way.

***

They didn’t see Mistress Cyzarine at first, because they didn’t recognize her. And when they did, it happened at the same time, and they stared at each other, speechless.

The lavender hair and ball gowns were gone, replaced by jet black hair with candy red streaks that fell in soft curls down past her shoulders, and she was wearing a sharp black suit, but instead of an oxford underneath the jacket, she was wearing what looked almost like fishnet but was more intricate and patterned and appeared much softer, at least from a distance.

Eve hadn’t really understood Villanelle’s thing with her hair until just that moment, because damn, did she want to pull on those streaks of red.

Villanelle was staring with her mouth open and when she realized, she shut it quickly. “I know that Blake Lively has blonde hair, Eve, but Mistress Cyzarine looks like Blake Lively,” she said, still staring.

“I’m gonna have to agree with you, baby,” Eve said, also still staring.

“She looks much better with this hair and these clothes, don’t you think?”

Eve swallowed. “Uh, yeah.”

“Yeah.”

They were both still standing there stupid when Cyzarine approached to greet them. “My honored guests!” Cyz said with dramatic flair, trying not to die laughing at their expressions.

“Hi,” Eve said flatly.

Villanelle was much more respectful. “Good evening, Mistress Cyzarine,” she said, feeling her cheeks flush at using the title. But she didn’t much feel like being turned over the woman’s knee and spanked right then. The party was just starting and she wanted to explore with Eve.

Cyzarine’s face lit up at Villanelle’s greeting. “Good evening, Oksanushka,” she said fondly, running a finger down the side of the girl’s face. “So polite.” She turned to Eve. “How are you, Eve?”

Eve almost shivered at the way Cyzarine spoke to Villanelle and touched her cheek, but she maintained control of herself and managed a better greeting than hi. “Looking forward to tonight,” she said. “Thank you for the invite. I never would have thought to check for a theme party.”

“I’m glad you took me up on the offer,” Cyzarine said, leaning forward to kiss each of Eve’s cheeks. “You both definitely look the part.”

“Are you calling my girl a hoe?” Eve teased.

Cyzarine couldn’t help the surprised laugh that tumbled out as she shook her head. “In no way am I doing that,” she answered.

Villanelle just stood there blushing, out of her element but not in a bad way. And then suddenly she felt mischievous and she moved halfway behind Eve, biting the shoulder of the suit jacket she wore and then asking the dominatrix with feigned innocence, “are you calling my daddy a pimp?”

Eve nearly fell over.

Cyzarine stumbled, putting a hand on Eve’s arm to steady herself. She had not expected that delicious little slice of roleplay. “Oksanushka,” she scolded when she recovered. “Behave yourself.” She looked at Eve and patted her arm where she’d grabbed hold of it. “I have to make the rounds. Please enjoy the snacks and drinks and I’ll swing back around to find you in half an hour or so. If you’re already playing, I will be nearby to wait, and you may find me after your scene if you wish.”

Eve gave her a smile and a nod, and she and Ville both watched her walk away. Was that walking, really? That was more like a gentle swagger. She shook her head and looked at Villanelle behind her. “Your daddy _is_ a pimp tonight, little girl. Let’s get a drink.”

***

The drinks table was crowded and they had to wait, but it gave Eve a chance to look around at the other pimps and hoes and admire their costumes. A lot of them seemed to remember Villanelle and some looked wary, but most looked interested. “People are undressing you with their eyes, baby,” she whispered into her girl’s ear, tugging her closer by the leash just to seem possessive. Not that she wasn’t _actually_ possessive, just... not in that kind of a way. She liked when people looked at Ville.

Villanelle went willingly and leaned up against Eve’s side. “I only undress for you, Daddy,” she promised.

“Mmm. Good girl,” Eve purred, and then it was their turn for drinks.

Villanelle shivered and stepped forward when it was their turn. “What can I get, Daddy?”

“Water,” Eve replied.

“I want a whiskey, Daddy.”

“They don’t serve alcohol at dungeons, baby girl. Impaired consent,” Eve explained. “You wouldn’t want to end up too drunk to be fucked, would you?”

“Oh.” Well that made sense. “Water is fine then, Daddy. I definitely would not want to end up too drunk for you to fuck me. I am already wet just thinking about it.”

The drinks volunteer looked pale as he handed over two bottles of water.

“Thanks,” Eve said, taking them both and handing one to Ville, then leading her away from the table and out of the gathered crowd that was still in line. “Do you know how I want to fuck you, little girl?” she asked suddenly, grabbing Ville by the ponytail and bringing their faces close together.

Villanelle gasped, her heart jumping into her throat, and she slowly shook her head the best she could within Eve’s grip. “No, Daddy,” she breathed. “How?”

“I want to sit on one of the sofas and relax while you use your mouth for a few minutes, and then I want you to keep your panties on, just moving them out of the way so you can sit on Daddy’s cock and ride it.”

Villanelle’s knees went weak and she dropped her unopened water bottle, not caring as it rolled away. “Please, Daddy,” she begged, heart racing.

“Are you already ready for me, baby girl?” Eve asked, raising an eyebrow. “You want to go find a sofa right now?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Villanelle said eagerly, bouncing a little. “I’m ready for you right now. You look so good in your suit, Daddy, looking at you makes me so wet. I want to show you how good I can be and suck your cock. Please.”

Eve would never get tired of hearing Villanelle’s dirty mouth, and she moved toward the play areas, spying an empty cushion on one of the sofas in the back. She tugged Ville behind her on the leash, and kept hold of it as she sat down. “Knees, baby.”

Villanelle tried not to look too excited as she dropped to her knees and placed her hands on Eve’s thighs. “Please, please take your cock out, Daddy,” she begged.

“Jesus Lort,” said the guy sitting next to Eve, his eyes bugging. “Should I move?”

“No, you’re fine,” Eve said with a laugh. “But thank you.” She looked down at Villanelle as her hands went to her button and freed it, fingers tugging down her zipper. She pulled the cock out through the flap in her boxer briefs (she remembered Ville’s reaction to them the last time they’d done this so she was wearing them again) and she swore she could see drool collecting at the corner of her lover’s mouth.

“Please can I kiss your cock, Daddy?” Villanelle asked, eyes glued to it.

“Open your pretty mouth, baby.”

Villanelle squirmed, sitting back on her heels and then raising up again, and opened her mouth. Her fingers dug into Eve’s thighs.

Eve relished the power she felt in these moments, and she let Ville simmer for about three seconds before she gave permission. “You can kiss it, baby girl.”

Villanelle moaned and leaned forward, kissing the tip of the cock, sliding her tongue around before she took the head in her mouth and sucked.

“Mmm, good girl,” Eve encouraged, rocking her hips a little and putting a hand lightly on the back of Villanelle’s head.

“Lort,” the man said again. “I’m not gonna survive this.” And he got up and walked away.

Before Eve could even laugh, Cyzarine was sitting next to her instead. She felt a sense of camaraderie, having Cyzarine sitting next to her, and she liked the feeling. “Isn’t she a pretty little thing?” she whispered, making sure Ville could hear her.

“She’s a darlin’,” Cyzarine said, thighs twitching at the display. “What a talented mouth.”

Villanelle groaned. Eve and Mistress Cyzarine could not both start praising her at the same time or she would be yelling Lort and running off with that guy.

“She’s so good,” Eve continued, scratching her nails lightly across Ville’s scalp. “So good at sucking her daddy’s cock...”

“Beautiful,” Cyzarine said, Villanelle’s reaction to praise not lost on her.

Villanelle’s breathing was labored now and she could barely keep her mouth on the cock because she was squirming so hard, trying to press her thighs together and get some relief. “Daddy PLEASE,” she begged, her voice rough and flecked with gravel.

“Up,” Eve said, patting her lap. “Just like I told you, okay baby girl?”

“Yes, Daddy, thank you,” Villanelle gasped, climbing onto Eve’s lap and reaching under her dress to drag the crotch of her panties aside. She used her other hand to guide the toy where she needed it and then slowly sank down onto it until it was all the way inside. Her eyes rolled back and she put her hands on Eve’s shoulders, just resting them there lightly for support and grounding.

“She has such good manners,” Cyzarine said, running a fingertip down Eve’s bicep. “You have a good little girl, Eve.” She took her hand away, not wanting to intrude, just to praise. To offer her presence as encouragement.

Villanelle whimpered, and when she saw the gesture she thought she’d be jealous, but she was just... hot. She wanted to see them kiss. She knew that wasn’t going to happen but she imagined it anyway for a few seconds and a shudder ripped through her. Mistress Cyzarine’s blood-red lips on Eve’s soft pink ones... “Daddy, she says I’m a good girl,” she finally panted, lifting herself off and sliding back down with a moan. “Am I good, Daddy?”

Arousal was hitting Eve from all sides and her head was spinning. “Yes, baby girl, you are _so_ good,” she said to Ville, tugging the leash so Ville’s face was right next to hers. “You’re so fucking good, baby. I want you to fuck yourself on my cock. Don’t stop until you come.”

“Will you rub my clit, Daddy, please?” Villanelle whimpered, starting to move. It felt so amazing pounding into her over and over and over, hard and fast and deep, and she realized Eve couldn’t rub her clit because she was moving so much. She would have to come without that. “No, Daddy, I know you can’t do that, I’m sorry for asking,” she whined. “Can you touch me somehow?”

God, Villanelle was so fucking precious that Eve didn’t know what to do sometimes. She slid her hands over Ville’s breasts and squeezed, dialing back until her fingers were poised over each nipple, and she held still for a few seconds, then gave them both a slow, firm pinch, drawing a wail from her lover that sounded like a symphony.

That was perfect, it was just what she needed, and when Eve pinched her nipples like that and the cock drove deep at the same time, she shuddered, tightening around the intrusion with a loud cry, and more shudders followed, milking her for all she had until she collapsed against Eve’s chest, breathing hard.

Eve’s arms went around her and one hand stroked her hair and the back of her head. “Good girl,” she praised. “Such a good girl for me... Daddy’s proud of you, baby.”

Villanelle couldn’t speak yet, but she nodded so Eve would know she was listening.

Cyzarine wanted to touch herself, but she didn’t do that in front of customers, ever. “I have to go upstairs for a few minutes. Will I see you when I come back down?”

“How many minutes is a few?” Eve asked. “We’ll stay for a while. I know she tired herself out, but we just got here. I’ll let her rest while you go upstairs and then we can talk?”

“Sounds wonderful.”

Something about Cyzarine’s voice made Eve smirk. “I take it nobody’s going to be following you upstairs, are they? This is a... private matter?”

That perked Villanelle right the fuck up and she lifted her head. “You are going to masturbate?”

Only years of practice kept the surprise off of Cyzarine’s face and allowed her to give a low chuckle instead. “No, ladies, I just have a bit of business to attend to.”

“In the middle of a party?” Eve asked. “Sure. Go ahead, we don’t judge.” She was still smirking.

“I want to watch,” Villanelle pouted.

Cyz tried not to react.

“She’s a big fan of masturbation,” Eve explained. “Any and all forms of it.”

Cyzarine laughed and stood up. “Excuse me, ladies. I’ll see you shortly.” And she walked away before Villanelle had time to say anything else.

“You know she is going to masturbate, right?” Villanelle asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Eve said with a snort. “Mind your business.”

“Are you going to masturbate, Eve?”

“Oh so now I’m Eve? What happened to Daddy?”

“I do not want to watch Daddy masturbate, Eve, that is gross. I want to watch _you_ masturbate.”

Eve barked out a laugh. “You’re something else. No, I’m not going to masturbate in a dungeon full of people. Nice try though.”

“Daddy,” Villanelle whined.

Eve’s barking laugh turned into almost a shriek, and she wrapped her arms around Villanelle, squeezing her tight. “Don’t even try it.”


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FILTH. Utter filth. NSFW. NSFW. NSFW.
> 
> TW: name calling (consensual tho)
> 
> **No offense to vanilla males. I'm sure some of you know how to pull hair.**

Villanelle sighed and nestled her head onto Eve’s shoulder. “Your cock’s still inside me.”

Eve choked. “Oh my God. Lift up, baby.”

“It was not a complaint, Eve,” Villanelle said with a smirk. But she slowly lifted herself off of the toy with a long, drawn-out groan.

Eve tucked it back in her boxer briefs and did up her button and zipper, then put her hands on Villanelle’s waist and settled her back down. “Good girl.”

Villanelle was quiet for a minute and then pressed her face harder against Eve’s neck, embarrassed about what she was going to say in case Eve got upset. “When you and Mistress Cyzarine were both talking to me... and she touched your arm... I thought I was going to feel jealous, but I didn’t. I—I really wanted her to kiss you. Or you to kiss her. I wanted to see you kiss.” She tensed, waiting for the worst.

That hit Eve right in the cunt and she exhaled sharply. “Oh?” she finally asked. “You want to see me kiss Cyzarine?”

“Yes,” Villanelle said softly. “And I want you to pull her pretty hair. It is not as amazing as your hair, but it is good hair.”

“I want to pull her hair too, baby, but I don’t think a mistress would like that.”

Villanelle felt the beginnings of a pout now that Eve was on her side and she wasn’t worried about Eve being upset. “Oh. Are you sure? Because I would really like to see that.”

“Well I’m not like a hundred percent sure, but I mean... she’s pretty dominant. I don’t get the vibe from her that she’d welcome some rando pulling her hair.”

“You are not some _rando_ , you are Eve. She wanted to kiss you too, I could see it on her face. She was trying to be respectful, but she wanted to kiss you, Eve. Did you get goosebumps when she touched your arm?”

Eve raised an eyebrow. “Did you when she touched your face?”

Villanelle stuck her tongue out.

Eve laughed and kissed her. “Brat.”

“No, I am perfect,” Villanelle said when the kiss ended.

“You are perfect, but you’re also a brat.”

“You did not fix my underwear when you put your cock away,” Villanelle suddenly complained, picking her head up and putting a hand under her dress to adjust the crotch of her panties. “It was digging into my pussy, Eve.”

“You say that like I knew all along and just let it happen,” Eve snorted.

“Oh!” Villanelle exclaimed, hitting Eve excitedly on the arm. “She is coming back. Will you kiss her, please?”

“Oh my God, Ville, I can’t just kiss her,” Eve said as she turned her head to see the approaching woman. Cyzarine was too close to say anything else or they’d be overheard, so she just smiled.

Well, Eve and Villanelle hadn’t moved at all while she’d been upstairs. She chuckled and took the seat beside Eve again, sighing and leaning back against the plush velvet. “Ladies.”

Villanelle tried not to say it. Tried to be quiet. She bit her cheek and clenched her hands into fists and squeezed her knees extra hard against the outside of Eve’s thighs, and she could tell her face was going to turn red in a second, and oh fuck it she couldn’t _not_ say it. Ask it. Whatever. “Mistress Cyzarine, can you and Eve—”

“Aaaaaaaaa,” Eve interrupted loudly, putting a hand over Villanelle’s mouth.

Cyzarine watched Villanelle’s eyes go wide and Eve blush ten shades of red. “Can Eve and I what?” She directed her question at Eve with an arched eyebrow.

Eve tried to seem casual about it. “She wants to watch us kiss,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Cyzarine’s heart thudded against her ribs. _Oh my_. “Oh? And you are opposed to the idea, is that it?” she asked, her eyes boring into Eve’s, trying to search the depths and not the surface.

“Oppo—no,” Eve said, blinking in surprise. “I figured _you_ would be opposed.”

Cyzarine did not like being vulnerable, so she kept her answer short. “I am not.”

Villanelle squealed into the hand covering her mouth and had to forcibly avoid clapping. She bit Eve’s hand to get it off her mouth and Eve lightly slapped her face in retaliation, but it was worth it. “So you will kiss?”

Cyzarine turned a cool gaze on Villanelle. “If you do not behave, Oksanushka, you will be facing the corner and not get to watch.”

Villanelle squirmed on Eve’s thighs and gasped, her jaw actually dropping open as she stared at Mistress Cyzarine. “I will behave,” she breathed.

Eve hid a smirk behind a cough and ran a hand over her face. The bite hadn’t hurt; Villanelle had obviously not intended it to. “That’s right, baby. Mistress Cyzarine is a little stricter than I am.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Cyzarine offered. “I think we are strict in different ways. I am a stickler for protocol and your boundaries with Villanelle are much more individualized.”

Eve considered for a minute and decided she agreed. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” And then her mouth opened again before her brain said it was okay, and she was saying something else. “I really want to pull your hair.” Oh God, the word vomit.

Villanelle was dead, she was sure of it.

Cyzarine’s face flushed warm and she turned away from them both to catch her breath.

“I’m sorry,” Eve said in a rush.

“It’s all right,” Cyzarine said, still looking away, a shudder rocking through her. She may appear unaffected to the naked eye, but her entire body was throbbing at the idea of kissing Eve and the idea that Eve wanted to pull her hair badly enough to say it out loud. _Still_ looking away, she asked, “do you know how to pull hair the right way?”

“Pretty sure,” Eve said, her pulse pounding between her legs. “From the roots.”

Another shudder. “Indeed. These are extensions, so if you pull my hair like a vanilla male, you will hurt me in a very unpleasant way.”

“Is that permission as long as I know what I’m doing?”

Villanelle didn’t dare to even breathe. This was the best negotiation she’d ever heard.

“Only if I can return the favor.” Eve’s hair was magnificent and Cyz would love to get her hands in it.

Villanelle was dead again.

Eve’s lips twitched into a smirk. “By all means.”

Cyzarine took a measured breath and exhaled slowly. “I don’t play in front of my customers. Come upstairs?”

“I do not think my legs work,” Villanelle announced.

Eve laughed and managed to get Ville draped over her shoulder as she stood up. When they reached the bottom of the stairs she carefully set her lover down and kissed her. “Can you walk yet, drama queen?”

“Drama queen! How rude, Eve!” Villanelle pretended offense and started up the stairs. “Imagine, accusing _me_ of being dramatic.”

Cyzarine swatted the cheeky brat on her way past and took the lead to one of the private play rooms.

“Mistress Cyzarine!” Villanelle complained, turning to pout at Eve.

“Just get your ass in there,” Eve snorted, giving her a little shove into the room and then shutting the door behind them once she was inside as well.

“Oksanushka, go lie on the bed,” Cyzarine said without preamble.

Villanelle looked at Eve for confirmation and when she got a nod, she climbed onto the bed and flipped over onto her back.

“Don’t get up. I need to speak to Eve,” Cyz said to Villanelle and then turned to look at Eve, motioning her over toward the far side of the room, and they moved across it together.

“Is everything okay?” Eve asked, keeping her voice down since Cyzarine obviously wanted privacy.

“Everything is fine, I just need to know what you expect of me and what you don’t.”

“Can you be a little more specific?” Eve asked, not sure where to begin.

“You and I are going to kiss; pull each other’s hair a little bit. But you don’t want to fuck me; correct?”

“I want both of us to fuck Villanelle.”

“That’s what I thought, but it is always necessary to verify beforehand in case of crossed wires. This is especially important if I am playing with an established couple like the two of you. I do not want any room for missteps. Are there areas of her that are off limits to me or activities you will not permit me to engage in with her?”

Eve had to think about that for a minute, and she could tell that Cyzarine appreciated her taking it seriously. “Honestly... I think I want to be the only one that’s ever used her cute little ass, but other than that, whatever you want to do with her is fine with me if it’s fine with her.”

Cyzarine could feel herself heat up, all the way to her eyes. “Will your strap-on fit in her cute little ass? Because I am wearing mine as well...”

Eve nearly fell over. “You want to double team her with our dicks? Jesus Christ. She’ll fall apart.”

“Especially if we feed her praise kink at the same time.”

“My poor baby,” Eve said, glancing over her shoulder at Villanelle, who was watching them like a hawk.

Cyzarine actually laughed before schooling her features. “Bad idea?”

Eve turned back to her. “Brilliant idea. But still, my poor baby. She won’t know what hit her.”

Cyz almost laughed again.

“It’ll drive her even crazier if we both keep our clothes on and just take our dicks out.”

“I noticed your very stylish boxer briefs.”

“Oh yeah? What are you wearing?” She watched Cyzarine’s eyes flash before the woman just pointedly shook her head. “Nice. Why isn’t it obvious, then?”

“It’s tucked into one of the straps of the harness.”

Eve grinned. “My poor, poor baby.” She turned back to Villanelle again, who was still watching them, and she decided to kick off the praising as she walked toward the bed. “Ville, you’re being so patient... thank you.”

“Yes,” Cyzarine echoed, stalking toward the bed in step with Eve. “What a _good_ girl.”

Villanelle, a predator in her own right, was being approached by two very cunning vultures, and she was suddenly nervous. They had plotted against her over on the other side of the room, she was certain of it, and something she was _not_ certain about was surviving this encounter. None of this gave her second thoughts, though. She was primed and ready to be torn apart. And they were already _praising_ her, which started a low-key buzz in her brain.

Cyzarine climbed onto the bed on her knees and Eve followed suit, so that they were each on one side of Villanelle’s ankles, looking at each other.

The moment froze them both, and Eve was the first to regain motion, sliding a hand up into the hair at the base of Cyzarine’s skull and making a slow, tight fist.

Cyzarine couldn’t help a tiny noise of approval. She was usually very quiet but Eve did indeed know how to pull hair the right way and it felt amazing. It was also something she hadn’t had done to her in over a decade, which made it all the more enjoyable.

Not to be idle, though, she buried both of her hands into Eve’s hair and gave light, rhythmic tugs, and then they were both leaning forward until their lips touched, and neither of them would be able to distinguish who kissed whom.

Villanelle couldn’t tell either but she didn’t care. They were kissing. Eve and Mistress Cyzarine were kissing, right here in front of her, and it was so sexy to watch. Just as she’d imagined, the contrast of that blood-red lipstick against Eve’s soft pink lips was _so_ arousing. And when they both opened their mouths, Villanelle whimpered softly, putting her hands underneath herself because she had been told to behave. She did not think grabbing them both and forcing them harder together would be allowed or appreciated. Watching them kiss was making her so wet. Her hands itched to find their way under her panties but she grabbed onto the blankets beneath her instead.

Cyzarine’s mouth was soft, and it was different from kissing Villanelle, but less different from kissing Villanelle than from kissing a man. She licked at the other woman’s teeth and appreciated Villanelle’s gasp when she did. She grinned into the kiss and tugged harder on Cyzarine’s hair, and she made both ladies vocalize with that one.

Villanelle was enjoying the show with great pleasure, wanting it to end and never end at the same time. She wanted their attention now, but she still wanted to see them kiss. She knew she couldn’t have it both ways, so she would settle for whatever they gave her. Or maybe not because she heard herself whine.

Eve laughed from deep in her throat and broke the kiss to look at Villanelle. “Do you need some attention, baby?”

Cyzarine bit her lip at the loss and turned her gaze on Villanelle. “Whining? Oksanushka,” she scolded, though it was mostly playful.

“Sorry,” Villanelle barely breathed.

“Sit up, baby, I need to tell you something,” Eve said, holding out her arms. When Ville sat up, she put her arms around her lover. Her lips brushed the shell of Ville’s ear as she whispered. “I need you to be a good girl and get _very_ wet, Ville. Wet enough to take Mistress Cyzarine’s cock in your pussy and have enough left over for me to borrow, so _my_ cock can fit into your tight little ass.”

Villanelle made the loudest, most desperate sex sound she could ever remember making, and her hips jerked almost savagely, seeking friction from thin air. “Oh God. Fuck.” She wasn’t going to survive this. “ _Fuck_ , Eve. I can’t— _fuck_.” Her breathing was ragged and she dug her fingernails into the mattress beneath her. “Fuck.”

Villanelle had never been quite so profane and Eve counted this as a victory.

Cyzarine shuffled closer on her knees and took one of Villanelle’s hands in hers, rubbing until the girl’s fingers relaxed enough that she wasn’t afraid they would break. She guided Villanelle’s hand to her pants and the rigid tension returned full force, so she rubbed again. “Can you do it? Or do you need me to do it?”

Villanelle literally couldn’t make herself speak, she was breathing so hard, her chest full of so many feelings and so much stark, devastating arousal. She moved deftly to undo the button, not wanting Mistress Cyzarine to have to take over for her because that would be embarrassing. She lowered the zipper once she got the button free and put her hand inside, her eyes rolling back with a very lewd groan as she grabbed the cock and tugged it out.

“Good girl,” Cyzarine purred, bringing Villanelle’s hand to her lips and gently biting the back of it before she let go. Then she turned her attention to Eve. “How do you want us to do this, Eve? It might be easiest if I sit against the headboard and she faces me on her hands and knees? She can ride me and you’ll have all the access you want with her bent over like that.”

Villanelle clung tightly to Eve and pressed her face so hard to Eve’s chest that it hurt her nose.

“I like it,” Eve said with a nod, running her hands up and down Villanelle’s back. “Go on, baby. Turn around and get on your hands and knees with your pretty little cunt right over Mistress Cyzarine’s dick.”

Villanelle clung for one more second just trying not to collapse into a heap and fall off the bed, and then she forced in a shaky breath and turned around, dropping her hands to the mattress and crawling forward over the fully-clothed woman underneath her.

Cyzarine tapped her cheek. “Give me a kiss, Oksanushka, while Eve gets you ready.”

Villanelle shivered and ducked her head, pressing her lips to the woman’s cheek as she felt Eve lift her dress and drape the hem across the middle of her back.

Eve tugged Villanelle’s panties down forcefully and Ville lifted each of her knees in turn so she could get them off. She tossed them aside and took hold of Ville’s hips, pressing downward. “I want you on her cock, now.”

Eve’s voice had gained that edge and Villanelle groaned, getting even wetter, and she let Eve guide her with no resistance. As soon as the tip was safely inside, Eve gave a fierce push on her hips and she cried out as she slid all the way down on Mistress Cyzarine’s dick. She could feel her own sweat dripping down the sides of her neck and making her uncomfortable behind her knees. She was fucking dripping wet; there would be plenty for Eve to borrow. She was nervous about having Eve’s cock in her ass, because she had only ever had Eve’s fingers there before, but Eve’s fingers had felt so good it was ridiculous, and she knew Eve would stop if it hurt.

Eve freed the toy, gathered copious amounts of dripping honey on her hand, and smeared it along the shaft. She swiped her fingers through again for more to coat the tip, hearing Villanelle groan at both points of contact. “Are you ready, baby? Is this okay?” she asked, palming Ville’s ass cheeks, rubbing and squeezing while she waited for an answer. “You can say no or use your safe word.”

Villanelle still felt like she couldn’t speak, but she knew she had to or Eve would not fuck her, so she focused hard and made her voice work. “Yes. Okay. Please. Yes.” It was lacking, but it was a yes. And she reached back with one hand, feeling around until she found Eve’s waistband, and tugged her lover toward her. Just in case her words weren’t clear enough.

“Yes, you want me in your ass, baby?” Eve asked, pulling Ville’s cheeks apart and inching her hips forward to put the toy between them.

“Yes,” Villanelle groaned, grateful for the yes or no question so she could make her consent more concise.

“I think she wants you in her ass, Eve,” Cyzarine said with a wicked little grin and a slight twitch upward of her hips that sent Villanelle reeling.

“Fuck,” Villanelle said with a whine, shutting her eyes tight. They were going to kill her.

“I think she does,” Eve agreed, slowly pushing in with just the tip, hands squeezing Ville’s waist to hold her squirming lover still.

Villanelle’s jaw worked her mouth open and her eyes rolled back in her head, still closed. She was making all kinds of unladylike noises now but these _fucking bitches_ seemed to like it.

“Oksanushka, so vulgar,” Cyz teased, keeping herself still while Eve was working into the girl’s ass. It was a delicate process and she didn’t want to impede. “You have such a pretty mouth... and you make such pretty sounds when you have a cunt full of my cock...”

Villanelle’s noises got louder; more desperate. Eve was moving again and the toy was stretching her ass a little, but it didn’t hurt. Thankfully. Because she _really_ fucking wanted it. She formed a word in her brain and prayed it would transfer appropriately to her lips, and she groaned it out. “More.” She couldn’t see Eve but she watched Mistress Cyzarine’s eyes darken.

“Can I call you naughty names?” Cyzarine asked, her heart racing. “Things that are not very nice? I will still make sure you know how good you are, Oksanushka.”

“Yeees,” Villanelle said, long and drawn out.

It was Eve’s turn to think she was dying. She had never thought of calling Villanelle names during sex, but damn... She was halfway in now and she had to hold Ville tighter to keep her from squirming right back off the cock.

Cyzarine put a hand to Villanelle’s mouth; pressed her thumb down on Villanelle’s lower lip and the very edge of her lower teeth. “Are you a good little bitch, Oksanushka?”

Villanelle gasped and a whimper tumbled out along with her agreement, her stomach tightening; sharp. “Yes...”

Eve – dead.

“Good girl,” Cyzarine praised, pushing harder with her thumb, forcing Villanelle’s mouth open wider. “I wish I had another cock to fill you up here... but maybe not. I like hearing your voice.”

Villanelle’s jaw ached at the pressure but she was quickly distracted from it because finally, _finally_ , Eve shoved the rest of the way in and she felt Eve’s thighs against her ass cheeks, grounding her, and she felt so full she wanted to scream. It was almost _too_ good. If it was possible to get too much pleasure, she was doing it. “Oh my God,” she moaned when Cyzarine let go of her mouth. “Fuck. Please. I need.”

Eve leaned over Villanelle and whispered into her ear as she thrust with her hips. “Tell me.”

Villanelle yelled and arched up into Eve’s chest, trying to get more contact anywhere, everywhere.

Eve grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged. “Tell me or I’ll stop.”

“No!” she shrieked, tears forming in her eyes at the thought of Eve taking this away from her. Her panic made her voice work better and plea after plea poured out. “Please fuck me, Eve, please, I love the way your cock feels inside my ass, please Eve, fuck me so hard you make me scream... Mistress Cyzarine, please, please can you move at the same time? I need it, I need it so badly...”

Eve and Cyzarine looked at each other, both taken aback by the sudden outpouring of intelligible speech, and then they both started moving. “Good girl, baby,” Eve crooned, her soft voice a contrast to the jutting motion of her hips.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, Oksanushka,” Cyzarine growled. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever had on this cock... such a desperate little slut, I’m so proud of you. Such a good girl...”

“So good,” Eve said, dousing Villanelle from all sides with the praise she knew her lover fed off of. “So fucking gorgeous and well behaved and perfect...”

Villanelle literally couldn’t take it. The words and the actions took five seconds to make her fucking explode. She did scream when she came, every muscle in her body tightening, holding her suspended, and then throwing her down on the rocks like a wave at high tide. Her breath was ragged and labored as she collapsed on top of Mistress Cyzarine, tears streaming down her cheeks, her voice gone completely hoarse. Not that she was still trying to speak at the moment. She was wrung dry, shaking almost violently, sobbing with the intensity of it.

Cyzarine put her arms around Villanelle until Eve could properly detach and hold her. “Oksanushka, you are so precious,” she whispered. “Eve will be here to hold you in just a minute, okay?”

Villanelle pressed her face to Mistress Cyzarine’s neck and nodded, her chest heaving with the force of her reaction to her release.

Eve had to be careful sliding out, and she unhooked the toy from the harness, setting it on top of their duffle bag, and crawled onto the bed, taking Villanelle when Cyzarine gently moved her over.

Villanelle was out of it, but she smelled Eve and felt her, and she tucked in.

Cyzarine scooted a few feet away to give them some room, and she unhooked her own dick, helping herself to the flavor.

Eve couldn’t look at _that_ and comfort Villanelle at the same time, so she closed her eyes and held her lover tight. “I’m here, baby. You’re so, so good Ville. I love you so much. You were so perfect, baby...” She didn’t ask any questions yet because she knew Ville needed time. But she also knew that her own words would still bring comfort even though Ville wasn’t ready to talk.

Villanelle let Eve’s words wash over her while she calmed. She knew she was in the safest place she could be, wrapped in Eve’s arms, and it was wonderful. Overwhelming, but wonderful. And when sight and speech returned, she spoke in a hoarse voice. “I love you, Eve.”


	46. Chapter 46

Cyzarine really couldn’t get enough of how amazing and fascinating she found the relationship between Eve and Villanelle. “I can draw her a bath,” she offered quietly. “Or I can get a warm cloth to clean her up.”

Eve kissed Ville’s forehead. “Would you like a bath, baby?”

A bath sounded soooo nice and Villanelle nodded against Eve’s chest.

“Thanks,” Eve said, looking at Cyzarine. And when the woman moved to get up, she spoke again. “Hey. Come here.”

Cyzarine’s eyebrows lifted and she walked around the bed. When Eve crooked a finger at her, she leaned down, and then she was being kissed on the cheek, and she was pretty damn sure she turned bright red before she made a hasty retreat to the private bathroom to start a bath.

Eve brushed her hand through Villanelle’s hair, still holding her close. “How are you doing, baby?”

Villanelle stretched a little and tried to put words to her feelings, but all she came up with was sore. So she said it. “Sore.”

“Sore in a good way or sore in a not so good way?”

“It’s good,” she assured her lover. “Very good. Just sore.”

Eve breathed a little easier. “Okay. And you’d tell me if something wasn’t good?”

Villanelle was finding it less difficult to imagine making and keeping promises these days. “I promise.”

The significance of that word was not lost on Eve, and she tilted Ville’s face up, pressing their lips together for a long, long, really long moment. “How did I get so lucky?”

“Luck had nothing to do with it,” Villanelle purred, regaining some of her spunk. “It was all skill, you know. You tracked me to Paris. No one had ever tracked me and probably never would have.”

“Are you buttering me up for something?” Eve asked, pretending to be suspicious.

Villanelle laughed and kissed her again. “No. If I was buttering you up for something I’d do better than that.” She looked over as Mistress Cyzarine appeared in the doorway to the bathroom.

“Bath is ready,” Cyzarine announced. “I’ll see you ladies downstairs in a bit?”

Villanelle sat up. “You are leaving?”

Cyzarine froze. “I—well, I was going to, yes...”

Villanelle’s nose crinkled. “Why? You just made me a bath.”

Eve found it immeasurably endearing that Villanelle did not understand the after-sex awkwardness in a threesome. So she didn’t say anything, she just let the conversation play out however it would. She was curious to see what would happen without her intervention.

Cyzarine looked at Eve for help but the sparkle in the other woman’s eyes told her she was on her own for this one. She looked back to Villanelle. “Yes, I made you a bath so that Eve could clean you up...”

“You are halfway responsible for making me dirty,” Villanelle said, still not understanding.

“W—I mean... yes, that’s true, but—”

“You do not want to help Eve bathe me?”

Cyzarine hadn’t been this flustered since she was a teenager on prom night. “That’s not—I’m not—” Villanelle looked almost hurt and she snapped her gaze to Eve again, more serious this time.

Eve shrugged. “The baby wants us both to bathe her. Are you really going to deny that adorable face?”

Cyzarine would strangle her later. For now she just gave in. “Come on, then.”

Villanelle beamed at getting her way, because why would Mistress Cyzarine not want to see her naked, really, and she went to take off her dress but Eve stopped her.

“Hey. You don’t just take your clothes off,” Eve scolded. She took the hem of Ville’s dress and pulled it up and off, letting it drift to the bed.

Villanelle let Eve take her dress off instead and then let Eve guide her by the hand into the bathroom. She stepped into the very luxurious marble jacuzzi tub and the warm water was delicious on her aching muscles.

Cyzarine was hesitant to do anything. Fucking the baby with a strap-on while they were all keyed up was different than being included in their aftercare.

Eve looked at Cyzarine, who seemed almost nervous, then looked at Villanelle so happy and relaxed in the bath, and a surge of... something unnamable flared through her. “Come here,” she said, her gaze on Cyzarine again. She said it quietly, but there was no mistaking the authority lurking behind her gentle tone.

Cyzarine’s head snapped up at the tone of Eve’s voice, her pulse roaring in her ears. She tilted her head in question, but granted the demand, taking the two steps required to stand in front of Eve.

Eve knew she was being bold and taking liberties, but she tugged on the lapels of Cyzarine’s suit jacket, then smoothed her hands down the front and started to undo the top button.

Cyzarine’s breath hitched and she nearly jumped a foot backward. “What—”

“Come here,” Eve said again, the same quiet, authoritative tone.

Cyz did not know whether she was going to give in this time or not. If she did, she would be acknowledging something unspoken between them, an implied agreement that Eve could dominate her. She had not even considered allowing such a thing since she first became involved in the community. She stood staring, half expecting Eve to either get impatient or withdraw the demand, but neither happened. Eve just stared back, waiting.

Villanelle was watching with bated breath, trying not to look like she was watching at all.

Eve was patient, but there was a nervous coil in her stomach waiting to spring. If Cyzarine denied her, it would be okay, of course, but the waiting... that was the worst part. She did it well on the outside, but on the inside she was a little wrecked.

Cyz was wet, so she let that be the decision maker since her brain couldn’t seem to catch up, and she stepped in front of Eve again.

Villanelle ducked under the water.

Eve unbuttoned Cyzarine’s jacket, reaching the last button as Villanelle surfaced, and pushed it off of the other woman’s shoulders. Cyzarine didn’t move, so the jacket dropped to the floor behind her. Eve debated on getting rid of the fishnet type shirt next or the trousers. Finally she decided on the shirt and pulled it over Cyzarine’s head. She ignored the fact that there was no bra to remove and dropped the shirt, undoing the suit trousers.

Cyzarine’s hands shook a little as she tried to stand still. This was incredibly strange. She had been a dominant for so long, and really never allowed anyone else control even on a small scale, but there was something about Eve and Villanelle. She had been on top with Eve, and now she would be on bottom with Villanelle. It was oddly poetic. She kicked off her shoes as her pants pooled around her feet, then stepped out of the trousers, and held her breath when Eve’s fingers curled into her panties. When Eve tugged them down, Cyz closed her eyes.

Eve got the panties off and dropped them with the other clothes, her heart racing. “Get into the bath.” Simple. Quiet. Direct.

Villanelle shivered. Mistress Cyzarine was getting into the bath with her and that was very appetizing.

“Kiss each other.”

Villanelle gasped, eyes trained on Mistress Cyzarine for a reaction. Ohhhh, those pale cheeks were blushing, and it was amazing. “You should do what she says... I am not going to get in trouble for you,” she teased, inching closer to the blushing mistress.

Eve playfully smacked Ville upside the back of her head and snorted.

Villanelle scrunched up her nose in distaste and glared at Mistress Cyzarine. “That was your fault.”

Cyz couldn’t help a tiny chuckle even though her nerves were shot, and she leaned forward, pressing her mouth over Villanelle’s.

Eve watched them kiss, and she definitely liked being the director. She moved closer and put a hand on the back of each of their heads, lightly running her nails over their scalps as they kept kissing. God, who would have thought it would be so hot to watch Villanelle kissing someone else?

Villanelle moaned at the little scratches and opened her mouth to Mistress Cyzarine’s tongue.

Cyz was enjoying the scratches as well, and the way Villanelle tasted. Like her teeth were made of candy.

After a few minutes Eve curled her hands into their hair and pulled them gently apart. “Lean back, baby,” she said to Villanelle, “so Cyzarine can wash you.” She grabbed a cloth from the cabinet across from the tub and brought it back. Villanelle’s mouth opened but Eve beat her to it. “If you say one word about this not being COYUCHI, I swear to God, Ville.”

Villanelle just laughed and put a hand over her mouth, because...

“Oh Jesus Christ!” Eve nearly shouted when she saw the label. She looked at Cyzarine. “Are you serious?”

“I told you, Eve, they are hand woven in Turkey,” Villanelle said while still laughing. “People who like luxurious things love this brand of towel.”

Cyzarine picked up the wash cloth when Eve threw it disgustedly into the water, and pressed her lips together to keep from joining in Villanelle’s laughter. She put body wash on and scrubbed it against itself to build up a lather, and then looked at Villanelle. “Can you stand up, please? Otherwise the soap will dissolve under the water.”

Villanelle figured that made sense and got to her feet, careful not to slip.

Well, this put Villanelle’s extremely delicious cunt right at mouth level, and Cyzarine almost whimpered. Her breathing kicked up a notch and she turned her head to Eve, asking for silent permission.

Eve raised an eyebrow and slowly shook her head no.

The air rushed out of her lungs all at once, her eyes going slightly wide. She hadn’t actually expected to be told no. Somehow, though, that just made Eve even fucking hotter... and of course it made her want Villanelle’s cunt even more.

Nostrils flared, Cyzarine tamped down on her libido and gently dragged the cloth between Villanelle’s legs.

Villanelle purred and enjoyed the sensation, and then turned around so Mistress Cyzarine could wash her backside, and then she settled back down into the water, biting her lip and looking up at Eve. “Are you coming in?” she asked coyly.

Eve chuckled and tapped her on the nose. “No. But I will wash your hair.” She took off her suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of her shirt. “Duck your head again.”

Villanelle slid under the water again and made sure her whole head was submerged before she came back up.

Eve cradled the back of Ville’s head with one hand and leaned down to kiss her, briefly but thoroughly, and then reached for the shampoo. She washed Villanelle’s hair, grinning at the pleased little noises her lover was making, and then helped her rinse. “Beautiful,” she said. “You’re so clean, baby.”

“On the outside,” Villanelle said with a snicker.

Eve snorted out a laugh and tapped her face, then turned to Cyzarine. “Well?”

Cyzarine blinked. “Hm?”

“Get your hair wet,” Eve said with a grin.

Cyzarine’s eyes popped wide. “You’re going to wash my hair?”

“Why not?”

“I don’t—I mean—” She wasn’t sure why she was even trying to argue. Having her hair washed would be incredible. She finally stopped and ducked her head under, and turned around so Eve could get to her hair.

Soft little noises kept drifting up to Eve’s ears as she lathered Cyzarine’s hair with shampoo and took care rubbing it in.

“What is your real name?” Villanelle asked, seemingly out of nowhere, but honestly she had never stopped wondering.

Cyzarine felt Eve’s hands pause for a split second, probably in surprise at Villanelle’s audacity, but then she kept washing like she hadn’t even heard the question. Cyz looked at Villanelle, and a vulnerability bloomed in her chest, but she knew both of their names, and they had shared so much of themselves with her, it wouldn’t really be right to keep it from them. “No one in this country knows it, all right?” she asked quietly.

Villanelle nodded, excitement gripping her entire body and she tensed, waiting.

Cyz went to run a hand through her hair but stopped because it was being washed, and let her hand fall back to the water, taking a slow breath instead, and then she let go of the last piece of mystery that shrouded her from them. “It’s Nita.”

Villanelle purred. “Nita. I like that.”

“That’s beautiful,” Eve agreed, and she finished lathering, then helped Cyzarine—Nita—rinse.

“Yes, it suits you very well, I think,” Villanelle added. “Nitaaa. _Nita_. Niiiiita.” She tried putting a major emphasis on different syllables, but decided none of that worked. “I will call you Nita.”

“Not if I’m topping you, you won’t,” Nita replied, raising an eyebrow, only realizing she had displeased Eve when she felt a sharp tug on her hair. Except... what was she supposed to do if Eve was displeased? Apologize? Is that what she would want if she were in Eve’s position? Probably. It couldn’t hurt at least. “Sorry,” she said.

Villanelle jumped on this opportunity and pouted. “Eve, she was rude to me,” she whined.

“I’m aware, thank you,” Eve said dryly. Villanelle was too adorable sometimes, but always so see through.

“You should punish her.”

“I don’t think so!” Nita scoffed, almost snarling at Villanelle.

“Children, children,” Eve scolded them both. “Stop.” She grabbed them each a damn fucking COYUCHI towel and held them up. “Time to get out.”

They glared at each other as they got out of the bath and dried off, and it was all Eve could do not to burst out laughing. She could tell that Villanelle wasn’t really mad, because if she was, Nita would be bleeding. Nita, though, she couldn’t tell.

“Hey... if you still want to make your escape, I won’t stop you,” she said quietly, laying a hand on Nita’s arm.

Nita looked at her, confused for a second until she realized what her expression probably looked like, and she consciously softened it. “I was only playing. This is new for me... I thought she was playing too.”

“She is,” Eve said with a nod. “I just don’t know you enough to know whether you were.”

Nita exhaled with a bit of relief. “I do not know how to be a sub, Eve. I’ve had so many, but...” She shook her head. “I’ve experienced all of the things that I’ve done to others, I’ve been whipped, tied up, you know, but I was still always in charge. I don’t know how to submit.”

“Hey, you don’t have to, at all,” Eve said. “Please, don’t feel pressured.”

“I will help you,” Villanelle offered with a one-shouldered shrug and a casual expression. “If you want.”

No really though, could her lover be any cuter or sweeter? “Oh my God, baby, you’re the sweetest,” she said, roping Villanelle into a hug.

Villanelle beamed, sinking happily into Eve.

Nita could do it, right? She could. It wouldn’t be that hard. Villanelle would help her. And then... a smirk slowly formed on her lips. “I wanted to use my mouth when you were standing in the bath in front of me, but Eve said no...”

Villanelle squeaked, horrified, and wiggled out of Eve’s arms. “What? Eve!” Her jaw dropped. This was scandalous. “Eve,” she said again, and then she whined it. “ _Eve_.”

“Is that what this is now? You two fucking brats teaming up against me?”

“Eve,” Villanelle continued to whine, even stomping her foot. “You did not let her eat my pussy? That is so _rude_! I cannot believe this.”

“I _really_ wanted to,” Nita added fuel to the fire. This could actually be fun. It was kind of... carefree. “I mean it was right there in front of my face and I was _so_ ready to just lick _all_ the way up your cunt...”

Villanelle groaned. “Eve, you are the _worst_.”

“Okay, that’s it. Both of you, opposite corners. Now.” Eve tried not to laugh.

Nita’s jaw dropped. “It—what?”

“Come on,” Villanelle told her, taking her by the arm and heading for one corner. “I will show you.”

Nita went with her and Villanelle showed her how Eve liked it.

“Just stand here and don’t take your nose out of the corner, and don’t talk, and don’t move, and don’t stomp or whine or make noises, and—”

“Are those all things you did in the corner?”

“Not all of them!” Villanelle scrunched up her face. “Basically just don’t move or make noise. It will feel very good if you behave, because Eve will be proud of you when she lets you out of the corner, then.”

Nita really wanted to squish the fuck out of Villanelle because how could someone be so cute when they’re also a ruthless killer? “Thanks,” she finally just said, her cheeks a little warm, and she stared at the boring corner.

“You are welcome,” Villanelle said, happy with herself as she walked across the room to her own corner and stood in it.

Eve literally had to sit on her hands to keep from tackling her lover to the floor and trying to climb inside her soul.


	47. Chapter 47

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle is precious. Nita gets punished. Eve is Super!Top.

Villanelle didn’t move or speak when someone’s phone rang. It wasn’t her ringtone and it wasn’t Eve’s ringtone so it had to be Nita’s phone. _Don’t answer it... don’t answer it..._

“Sorry, I should get that.”

Villanelle cringed.

“Are you serious?” Eve asked. “I’m pretty sure I heard Ville telling you the rules of being put in the corner?”

“I know, but it could be a client,” Nita said, rushing over to her purse and taking the call.

Eve raised an eyebrow but she wasn’t about to overstep her bounds and take the phone away from Nita. So she waited until it was done and folded her arms over her chest when the phone was back in the purse. “I hope that was worth it.”

“Not really, it was just my assist—“ Nita stopped mid-sentence because she realized the question was rhetorical, and that once again, Eve was displeased. She should pull out the apology again. “Sorry.”

“Sorry? You literally just walked out of a punishment to take a phone call.”

Villanelle cringed harder.

Nita stood there awkwardly, having no idea what to do.

“Ville?” Eve asked. “Thank you for being a good girl. You can come out. And I think Miss Nita might need your help again.”

Villanelle sighed with relief and turned around, walking over to Nita, her lips pressed tightly together as she shook her head. “You might want to tell Eve your safety word, because you’re in trouble.”

Nita’s breath caught and her stomach twisted. “I don’t have a safe word.”

“You should choose one,” Villanelle said, nodding in affirmation of her own advice. “You will want to have one. You can share mine, it is just red.”

Eve almost squeaked at Villanelle’s sweetness and cuteness, she literally had to turn her face away and cover her mouth.

“Okay, thank you,” Nita said, a little subdued. “You are so sweet, Oks—Villanelle.”

“You are nervous and I want to help you,” Villanelle said with a shrug.

Eve bit her hand.

“What do I do, then?” Nita asked, and really she shouldn’t be this nervous. She wasn’t new to punishment, she was just used to being on the other end of it. Used to deciding and delivering. Calling every shot in the entire building, since it was _her_ dungeon.

“What would you want your submissive person to do if they disobeyed you?” Villanelle asked.

“I wouldn’t give them a choice, so I don’t know what I’d want them to do,” Nita admitted. “I said sorry, but Eve didn’t like that.”

Villanelle leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Maybe you should try saying it like you actually mean it, and go over to her and look at her when you say it, and then maybe admit you deserve another punishment.”

Nita’s face was burning by the time Villanelle finished speaking. Could she do all that?

“Go,” Villanelle whispered, nudging her, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She was nervous about Eve’s reaction. What was Eve going to do to Nita?

Nita kind of wanted to hug Villanelle and never let go, both out of gratitude and to completely hide from Eve, but she made herself walk over and look at the unimpressed domme. “My apology before wasn’t very good,” she admitted. “And you know I’m not used to doing what anyone tells me to do... because no one even tries to tell me to do anything, so I have literally no practice with it. I own this building, so I just—” She stopped and shook her head. “I know I should have let it go to voicemail, because I gave you authority to top me and you had me in the corner. I knew exactly what you expected, I just didn’t respect it. I’m sorry.”

Villanelle put her hands together in front of her and squeezed them, because she was proud of Nita’s apology and she thought Eve would like it too.

Eve listened without interrupting, even though she was tempted to when Nita started off on a tangent, but then the end of the apology hit her right in all the good places and she softened her expression just a little. “Thank you. I know that’s not easy to say.”

“No,” Nita agreed, shaking her head. “It isn’t.” She swallowed, thinking about the other thing Villanelle told her to do, and her breath started to pick up speed, her palms sweating. “I know I deserve another punishment,” she whispered. “But I—” She stopped again and exhaled. “No. That’s all.” And she was quiet.

Eve reached up and tucked some hair behind Nita’s ear. “Can you tell me something?”

Nita closed her eyes and tried not to gasp at the touch, but nodded in response to the question.

“Why do you want to let me top you? You’re clearly uncomfortable with it. Are you trying to prove something to yourself, or to me or Villanelle?”

“I don’t know,” Nita admitted. “There’s just something about the two of you... I topped her with you and now I want to bottom to you with her. It’s not to prove anything, it’s just... there. It’s floating around my brain. I’m uncomfortable because I suck at it, but I want to do it. At least once in my life, I want to do it, and I can’t think of anyone else that’s ever inspired that in me.”

Eve kissed her cheek, satisfied with that answer. “For starters, you can go back to the corner, properly,” she said.

Nita’s face was a little hot again but she nodded. “Okay.”

Villanelle cleared her throat and leaned in to say quietly, “you should say yes, Eve. Saying okay is not really that respectful.”

“Thank you,” Nita whispered, cheeks flaming by now, and she looked sheepishly at Eve. “Yes, Eve,” she said, and then before she could do anything else that wasn’t really that respectful, she put herself back in the corner.

Eve looked at Villanelle. “Come here, Ville.”

Villanelle walked happily over and leaned into the offered embrace. And then suddenly she realized something and her eyes popped open wide. “Eve,” she breathed. “Oh my God.”

“What’s wrong, baby?” Eve asked in mild alarm.

“Nothing is wrong,” Villanelle said, completely in awe. “When I was talking to Audrey about asking people if they are okay when they seem hurt or upset, she told me to ask even if I didn’t really care, and that maybe then someday I _would_ care. She said it is called faking it until you make it. I did not think I would ever _make_ it, Eve, but I care how _she_ feels.” She tilted her head toward Nita in the corner. “I really do care, Eve, I am not faking it this time. I want to help her so she does not have to be nervous, and I want to help her so you will be pleased with her. Eve, I need to tell Audrey!”

“Baby... I am so fucking proud of you,” Eve whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes. She grabbed Villanelle tighter and buried her face in her lover’s neck, a few of the tears falling. “So fucking proud, Ville,” she whispered again. “God... I love you so fucking much...”

“I love you too!” Villanelle was delighted to get such a powerful response from Eve, until she felt her neck get wet and she gasped. “Don’t cry, please...”

Eve couldn’t help laughing at that. “They’re those good tears again, baby.”

Villanelle relaxed. “Oh. Do not scare me like that, Eve. You will take months off my life. Oh! I forgot I wanted to text Audrey. Where is my phone?”

“In the duffle, but are you sure you want to tell her over text? We’re going in to the office on Monday...”

Villanelle considered. “Maybe I will wait so I can see her face when I tell her. To see if she is surprised and see if she believes me.”

Eve laughed again, then stole a kiss, then looked over to Nita. “Okay Nita, come over here.”

Nita had of course heard the conversation and melted dead right where she stood, but she regained corporeal form in time to follow Eve’s direction. She turned and walked over, biting her lip. What was Eve going to do to her now?

“Look at Eve’s face,” Villanelle said quietly once Nita was standing beside her. “That means she is proud of you too.”

Nita wasn’t quite ready to believe it unless she heard it directly from Eve, but she still appreciated Villanelle trying to make her feel good. “Thank you for helping me,” she said softly.

“You are welcome,” Villanelle said, beaming.

Eve took Nita’s chin in one hand and squeezed. “You did a good job that time. I didn’t see you move or hear you make a sound.”

Nita lowered her eyes to the floor, soaking up the way it felt to be praised instead of to disappoint Eve. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Eve ran her thumb back and forth along Nita’s jaw before releasing her chin. “What would you do if you were in my position? To you, I mean. What would you do to you?”

Nita didn’t want to answer that. But she pushed past the reluctance and told the truth. “I’d beat the hell out of me.”

Eve laughed and shook her head. “I guess I’m nicer than you, then. I’m not gonna beat the hell out of you. But I appreciate the honesty, I truly do.”

Nita nodded and looked anywhere but at Eve or Villanelle. At least Eve wasn’t going to beat the hell out of her. That was something, right? “Are you... I mean... do you know what you _are_ going to do?” Her voice was much higher and quieter than usual, and it was embarrassing.

“I am going to put you over my knee and tie your hands to the bedpost.”

Okay, her high, quiet voice was no longer embarrassing in the wake of that statement. She moved behind Villanelle.

Villanelle felt very protective when Nita moved behind her like that... protective of Nita and protective of Eve. It was kind of weird to feel both of those things at the same time, but it was exhilarating. She grabbed Nita’s hand and squeezed. “You will be fine,” she said, turning to look over her shoulder. “Eve is very good at being the boss. I know you are nervous but Eve will only do exactly as much as she thinks you need. She is not selfish about punishment.”

AND YET, Villanelle just kept getting cuter and sweeter. She raised an eyebrow at Nita, though. “Are you hiding behind my girlfriend?”

“Fuck,” Nita muttered, moving out from behind Villanelle. “I’m just embarrassed!” she said in a rush. “I haven’t been restrained or spanked in over twenty years and like I said, I was still in charge at the time but I swear I’m trying, Eve...”

“I’m not mad,” Eve assured her. “I was amused. It’s okay if you’re embarrassed. I mean honestly, you should be embarrassed. And as sexy as I find you ladies in towels, why don’t you both get dressed before we proceed.”

Villanelle shed the towel and found her dress, slipping it on. “Eve, I cannot find my underwear.”

“I tossed them off the side of the bed,” Eve said.

“Right,” Villanelle replied, going over to look for them on the other side of the bed. She found them and pulled them on, then hugged Eve from behind and rested her chin on Eve’s shoulder while they waited for Nita to finish dressing.

All of Nita’s clothes were in a pile in the bathroom, and she got dressed slowly, buying herself time to sort out her nerves and emotions. Except all she kept thinking about the whole time was how sweet Villanelle was being to her and how casually hot Eve’s style of dominance was, so she didn’t sort out anything. She walked back to the main room and was extremely surprised when Eve hugged her.

“You’re doing fine,” Eve promised. “Okay?”

Nita exhaled and put her arms around Eve, giving a hesitant squeeze. She almost said okay but remembered Villanelle’s words. “Yes, Eve.”

Eve shivered and released her, turning to Villanelle. “Thanks for that one, baby,” she said with a wry smile, hugging Ville as well and nuzzling her nose into her lover’s hair. “Can you help her be good for her punishment?”

Villanelle nodded, excited that Eve wanted her to keep helping. “Yes, Eve,” she whispered with a little smirk.

Eve laughed and pulled back to kiss her. “Can you get me the rope from our bag?”

Nita grabbed the bedpost for support.

Villanelle skipped over to the duffle bag and pulled out one of the rope coils. Eve had said she was tying Nita’s hands to the bedpost, so she would only need one rope. She skipped back over and uncoiled it, then held it out. She noticed Nita getting intimate with the bedpost and she went over to rest her hands on Nita’s waist. “You will be okay,” she said softly.

Nita wanted to kiss her, but she wasn’t about to take liberties. She might not have done this before, but she liked to think she could learn fairly fast. “Thank you, Villanelle. I wouldn’t be able to do this without your guidance.”

Villanelle was probably going to burst with pride, but she wasn’t complaining.

Eve sat on the edge of the bed and laid the rope next to her. “Okay, Nita... come here.” She pointed to the floor at her right side.

Nita gathered her wits and walked the few steps to stand next to Eve, trembling as deft fingers reached for the catch of her suit trousers and slid down the zipper. She didn’t ask why Eve had wanted her to get dressed just to get undressed again, because she knew that removing clothes was part of the ritual. Her trousers pooled around her feet and she kicked them aside, standing in her suit jacket, mesh top and underwear.

Eve removed the jacket and set it behind her on the bed, then took Nita’s hand and rubbed her thumb over the back of it. “Did you decide to share Villanelle’s safe word?” Jesus Christ the cuteness of Villanelle offering to share her safe word was never going to leave Eve’s brain, ever.

“Yes,” Nita whispered. “Red.”

“Do I have your word that you’ll use it if you need it?”

How many times had she said that to stubborn clients? It was weird to hear it said to her. “Yes, you have my word,” she said, still whispering. “Where is Villanelle going to be?”

“Where would you like Villanelle to be?”

“Close,” Nita said. “I don’t know where, really. Just... close.”

Villanelle’s brain fizzed out a little hearing that and she moved to Eve’s other side. “What if I sit next to you, Eve, and she puts her head in my lap?”

“Perfect, baby,” Eve said, kissing Villanelle’s upper arm since it was level with her mouth.

Villanelle sat down next to Eve and waited (very patiently).

Eve turned to Nita again and gave her a reassuring smile. Or at least what she hoped was reassuring. “Pull down your panties to your knees and bend over my lap.”

Nita lost her breath and vowed never to make any of her personal submissives lower their own underwear ever again. She closed her eyes as she curled her fingers around the waistband, her face burning as she pushed them over her hips and dragged them down to her knees, and only opened her eyes so she could see where she was bending over to. She settled her belly on Eve’s thighs and her chest on Villanelle’s, folding her arms on the mattress and resting her head on them. She felt fingers in her hair right away and relaxed.

“Good job,” Eve said, letting Villanelle do the physical soothing with her hands in Nita’s hair. “How many do you think you deserve?”

Nita let out a legitimate whine at that question. “I have no idea, Eve, literally none... please don’t ask me to decide; I’ll let you down.”

“You won’t let me down,” Eve said. “Whether you say five or five hundred, you won’t let me down, and if your suggestion isn’t appropriate, I’ll change the number.”

“I don’t know, fifty?” Nita said, throwing out a random number, more a question than a statement. She had no idea, and she could hear the irritation in her voice when she spoke. She felt Villanelle’s fingers tighten in her hair in warning and she breathed out slowly, shoving down the natural urge to take control.

“Fifty,” Eve said, considering. “Fifty for leaving the corner when you knew you shouldn’t, and twenty for your tone of voice just now.”

 _Shit_. “I’m sorry, Eve.”

“You don’t expect me to take away the twenty extra, do you?”

“No,” Nita said in a rush. “No. I just didn’t mean to be snappy, so I’m sorry.” Villanelle stroked her hair again and she settled. It was so strange to be laying across someone’s lap, especially with her underwear around her knees and waiting for a spanking. She’d only been spanked once before, so she would know how it felt when she did it to others, and that had been over twenty years ago.

“I’m glad you’re sorry,” Eve said. “So that’s seventy total. Hold up your wrists, please, with your hands together.”

Nita shivered and moved her arms out from under her head, bending them at the elbows so her wrists were accessible to Eve.

Eve picked up the rope and wound it once around each wrist and then twice around them both together. She leaned over to reach the bedpost and looped the rope around it, using the same mooring hitch she’d used in the dungeon so she could undo it with one simple tug if necessary. “That’s a mooring hitch, so if you safeword you’ll be undone in less than two seconds,” Eve told her.

Nita shivered again. “Thank you,” she said, appreciating the extra effort that both Eve and Villanelle were putting in to make her more comfortable. Being tied up was... nerve wracking. She was so used to being in control, and she was definitely not in control here. She tugged on the rope just a little to see what would happen, but Eve’s rope work was solid and nothing tightened or loosened. She breathed a little easier knowing Eve’s level of skill was so high. Not that she’d really doubted it, but it was nice to be reassured.

“Tell me or Ville immediately if anything starts to tingle or go numb.”

“Yes, Eve.”

“Good. I’m going to start now,” Eve said. She rested her hand on the very sexy pinup girl tattooed on Nita’s right ass cheek, then gave it a firm slap, followed by one on the other cheek.

Nita jumped and gasped, tugging on the ropes again, this time out of instinct.

“Nice tattoo,” Eve commented, slapping it again. “Hot.” She slapped the other cheek.

Nita looked at Villanelle and bit her lip. “Am I supposed to say thank you?” she whispered.

“Yes,” Villanelle whispered back, still running her fingers through Nita’s hair. “It was a compliment. You should always say thank you when you receive a compliment.”

“I just didn’t know if I was supposed to talk at all,” Nita whispered back again. It’s not like Eve couldn’t hear them, probably, but she still felt better whispering with Villanelle. She raised her voice to address Eve. “Thank you, Eve. I’ve had it for a long time.”

“You’re welcome,” Eve said, grinning as she brought her hand down several times in a row. When Nita’s ass started to turn pink, so did the pinup girl’s. She pretended not to have heard the whispered conversation because it was adorable, the two of them whispering even though she was right there. She laid down an even number of swats on the undecorated cheek, bringing the total up to twenty, and enjoyed Nita’s first squirm. “Hold still.”

Nita gasped. “I’m sorry,” she said in a rush, eyes wide. She wasn’t allowed to squirm? “I’m—that’s difficult, I’m sorry...”

“Just do your best,” Eve said a little more gently.

Nita dropped her head forward between her elbows, pressing her face into the mattress.

Villanelle moved one hand down a little to lightly scratch the back of Nita’s neck. “Just try to relax your muscles,” she said softly, her voice almost like a caress.

Eve gave her five good slaps on each cheek and then paused to rub the warming skin. She almost purred when Nita stayed still. “Very good,” she said, her voice low and her hand purposely soothing.

Nita tried to breathe. It was so hard to hold still when being spanked, and she re-thought yet another thing that she required of her personal submissives. This was a very eye-opening experience on top of everything else about it.

“That is already thirty,” Villanelle said proudly. “You are almost halfway done and Eve seems pleased with you.”

Nita would have put her arms around Villanelle’s waist if they weren’t restrained. “Thank you so much, Villanelle,” she whispered.

“I am pleased,” Eve confirmed, still having difficulty not throwing Villanelle to the floor and trying to climb inside her soul. “It’s gonna get harder now, ladies. Are you ready?”

Nita pressed her eyes shut as tightly as she could, as if that would ward off whatever was coming. “I don’t know if I’m ready,” she said honestly, keeping her eyes shut.

Eve hadn’t really expected that answer, so she took stock of the situation and paused herself. “Do you need untied so we can talk about it?”

“I don’t think so, no,” Nita said, trying to figure out exactly what she had hoped to accomplish by saying she didn’t know if she was ready. “I think I’m just nervous. If I tell you I’m ready, that’s almost like telling you I want you to hit me harder. I didn’t mean for you not to proceed.”

This was Nita’s first time, and that was a pretty good attempt at communication. “It’s okay,” Eve said, rubbing her bottom. “I get what you mean. I’m going to proceed.” She rubbed for another second and then delivered a stinging smack to each cheek that left her hand a little sore.

“Ah!” Nita cried out and pressed her forehead harder into the mattress, flexing her fingers and then making tight fists. She squirmed her hips again, she knew it, but she couldn’t help it.

“The rest are going to be like that,” Eve thought it better to let Nita know, delivering two more and wrapping her left arm around Nita’s waist to hold her still.

Nita cried out again and jerked forward. “I don’t want to use my safe word, but can you please untie me so I can put my arms around Villanelle?” she asked in a rush. “I feel like I need to hold onto something... please... but if I have to stay like this I will.”

Eve reached over and tugged the knot free, then carefully unwound the rope from Nita’s hands and dropped it on the floor. There was no chafing to rub out so she just kissed Villanelle’s cheek and kissed the back of Nita’s head.

Nita felt tears in her eyes for the first time in God knew how long, and she wrapped her arms around Villanelle’s waist, burying her face in that soft red dress.

“You are doing so well,” Villanelle said, stroking Nita’s hair, starting to stir a little between her legs now that Nita’s warm face was pressed directly against her belly.

“Thirty-six left,” Eve said. “Take a breath.” She waited until she could see Nita’s back raise with a deep breath, and then on the exhale, she started spanking. Hard; crisp; fast. One after another, alternating cheeks, counting in her head so she didn’t go past seventy. Nita’s ass was going from pink to red and her hand was stinging.

Nita squeezed Villanelle tighter, and she was a trooper for a minute or two, but it built up so fast and then all of a sudden she burst into tears. She could not even remember the last time she cried. “I’m sorry,” she said against Villanelle’s dress. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry...”

Villanelle’s chest felt strange when Nita started to cry. She wanted it to stop, immediately. But not in the way she was used to – not in the way that she wanted to walk away or to snap Nita’s neck. It was different than that, because, she realized with very wide eyes, her discomfort was not about _her_. She wanted it to stop because she didn’t want Nita to be so upset. Her hands were sweating and her pulse was racing, and she remembered that one Grinch movie they’d made her watch at the orphanage, the part where his heart gets bigger, and it was stupid, but that’s what it felt like in her chest. “You are okay,” she promised to Nita, her own eyes burning inexplicably. “You will be okay, Nita, I am right here and Eve is here and you are almost done.”

Eve slowed down for the last five and when she finished, she rubbed Nita’s back with one hand under her mesh top. “All done,” she said. “You were very good, Nita.”

Nita clung to Villanelle, soaking up the words of encouragement, and when Eve stopped spanking and rubbed her back, she instantly started to calm. It still hurt, but knowing it was over was half the battle.

Villanelle was glad it was over too, and she kept stroking Nita’s hair, ignoring the fingernails that were digging practically into her kidneys. “Yes, you were very good,” she agreed. “Eve is so pleased with you. You will be okay.”

Nita cried for a little while longer, and then she was quiet except for sniffles for a little while after that.

Eve just let them all stay like that. There was no hurry. She kept rubbing Nita’s back and watching Ville play with Nita’s hair. They must have sat like that for half an hour before she finally spoke. “Can you tell me what you learned?”

Nita sucked in a shuddering breath and moved her face out of Villanelle’s dress so they would be able to understand her words. “If I give someone permission to top me, and they put me in the corner, I stay there,” she said. “Don’t use a tone with a dominant, either.”

Eve grinned at the last part and slid her hand out from under Nita’s shirt, smoothing it across her backside. “And about yourself? Did you learn anything about yourself?”

Well that was a harder question, wasn’t it? “That I much prefer being the domme,” she rushed out. “But... it... you... give me a minute here, I’ll get it.”

Eve laughed and trailed her fingertips down the back of one thigh. “No rush.”

Nita breathed for a few minutes, just feeling Villanelle’s hands and Eve’s teasing fingertips, and finally she thought she had the words. “I do not like being spanked or bound on either of their merit, but the way you both led me through the experience was cathartic, and overall it was actually very good for me, I think. You are both amazing, amazing women and your relationship is like nothing I’ve ever seen before in my life. You are so special... I am entirely humbled that you would share yourselves with me even for an evening.”

“You are mysterious and quite remarkable yourself,” Eve said. “I think Ville and I are humbled as well.”

Villanelle was stuck on the ‘even for an evening’ part. She didn’t want Nita to move in and be their girlfriend, but she didn’t want to not see her again either. She had no idea how to say this. “Sometimes Oksana is really hard for Mommy to handle in public so Eve might need help if we go to the zoo!” she blurted out, completely without ceremony.

Eve knew exactly what that meant even if Nita would have only a vague idea.

Nita blinked. Obviously that statement had not come out of nowhere and obviously it meant more than its face value. “It—the zoo,” she said, nodding as if she completely understood. “Sure, I can see how Eve might need help managing Oksana at the zoo sometime.”

“We have your number and you have mine. You can have Ville’s too, I’ll give it to you before we leave, but for now, I think you deserve some snuggles, don’t you?”

“Snuggles?” Nita pushed up onto her knees and pulled up her panties with a wince. “You’re going to snuggle me?”

“Do not make Eve cry by refusing snuggles,” Villanelle said, pretending to be serious.

Nita snorted out a little laugh and shook her head, climbing up to the head of the bed to lay down. “Okay then... I guess we’re snuggling.”

Eve and Villanelle flanked her, and okay, maybe snuggling wasn’t so bad when it was with two people who looked like _that_.


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babysitting. End of Game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started work this week so my updates are a little slower! :( Working from home but still have to be on it for 6 hours so less time to write.

After that double penetration and emotionally complex evening with Nita, Villanelle had asked to be Oksana all day the next day again, and Eve had hugged her and kissed her and told her she would love that.

Now, though, they were sitting on the sofa staring each other down. “I have to go to this meeting. It’s important.”

“Why can’t I come?”

“Because it’s a work meeting. It’s not for little girls.”

“Then why can’t I stay here by myself?”

“Because little girls don’t stay home by themselves.”

Villanelle folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not going.”

Eve was done arguing about it. “Oksana, get your body off this sofa.”

Villanelle stood up on it instead.

“Oksana!” Eve warned.

Villanelle roared at her and Eve stood up, grabbed her down from the sofa by her waist and wrangled her with great difficulty to the front door.

“I am about to paddle your butt,” Eve warned. “Knock it off.”

“MOMMY!” Villanelle screamed at the literal top of her lungs. “I DON’T WANT TO GO!”

Eve was about to smack her when she saw the tears, and her jaw tried to drop but she wouldn’t let it. “Oksana,” she said much more patiently. “Come sit down and talk to me, baby.” She reached for Ville’s hand, a little surprised but grateful when Ville let her take it.

Villanelle didn’t know why she was freaking out, and she followed Eve back to the sofa and sat down, curling up at one end.

“Baby, I’m only going to be gone for an hour or two and then we’ll be going to the zoo with Auntie Nita. I’m leaving Jake and Arlene my phone number for emergencies. Why don’t you want to go?”

“Don’t call her Auntie Nita, Mommy, I’m not stupid,” Villanelle said with a sour expression. “I know she’s your sex lady.”

Eve made some kind of strangled chirping noise and clamped a hand over her mouth until she was ready to speak. She ignored that, though. “Baby girl, why don’t you want to stay with Jake and Arlene?”

Villanelle opened her mouth to say she didn’t know but something else entirely tumbled out. “What if you don’t come back for me?”

Okay, wow. Drive the knife in further. “Oksana Astankova,” she whispered, taking Villanelle’s face in her hands. “I would never, ever do that. I want you with me always, but I have a work meeting. Jake and Arlene will have my phone number, honey.”

“You already said that,” Villanelle sniffled.

“I’m saying it again so you know that you can call me if you get worried, okay?”

“I am already worried.”

“Then you can call me as soon as I leave. We can talk while I drive to the meeting.”

“Can we talk the whole time you are gone?”

“Not during the meeting, unless you have an emergency. A real emergency, not the kind where you just want my attention.”

Villanelle still looked uncertain.

“Oksana. I promise you I will come back for you. You take up the entire space inside my heart, little girl. Okay?”

“What if they don’t like me?”

“They’re going to love you. You’re adorable.”

That perked her up a little. “I am pretty adorable, right?”

“Yes.” Eve laughed. “Will you be a good girl and come on now?”

Villanelle eyed her suspiciously, but she did believe that Eve wouldn’t leave her there. “Okay,” she finally said. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too, baby.”

***

Villanelle sat on the couch staring back and forth between Jake and Arlene. The silence was tense and awkward. Finally Jake said something.

“So, what’s with the Eve’s Property tattoo?”

“Jake!” Arlene half shrieked, smacking him on the arm. “You don’t ask that to a child!”

His eyes went wide and he gestured at Villanelle frantically with one hand while he scratched the back of his neck with the other. “She—that—she’s—” He looked at his wife as if to say she’s clearly an adult!

Arlene looked disgusted with him and came closer to Villanelle. Villanelle leaned back, wary.

“Oksana... are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Thirsty?”

Jake pointed to the kitchen. “We’ve got some pretty good beer and—”

He got hit again. “Jesus Christ, Jake!”

“Fuck!” he exclaimed, rubbing his arm and then throwing his hands in the air. “I don’t know!”

Villanelle’s eyes scanned quickly between them. “I would like a beer,” she said as casually as she could manage.

“See?!”

Arlene closed her eyes and breathed. She opened them again and shook her head. “You can’t have a beer. Do you want some juice? Your mum left juice for you.”

Villanelle made a face. “No, I want beer.”

“Well that’s not happening, so—”

“Come on, hon, just let her have a beer.”

“I’m not giving beer to a child!”

“She’s—come _on_!” Jake shouted.

“Where is your watch?” Villanelle asked suddenly, beer forgotten.

Jake ran his left hand over the spot his watch should be. “It’s, uh, I took it off.”

“Because I was coming over? You are afraid of a little girl taking your _jewelry_?”

“Taking it _again_ , you mean,” Mr. Jake corrected her. “And it’s not jewelry, it’s a men’s watch.”

“A very fancy watch.”

“It’s just a guy’s watch.”

“A blue fancy watch.”

“It’s really heavy.”

“It is not that heavy.”

“My dad has the same one.”

Back to the beer. Villanelle looked at Ms. Arlene. “I am allowed to have this. To have beer. I want one please.”

Mr. Jake seemed to be getting into the idea of denying her now, probably because of her comments about his precious watch. “I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to have beer.”

She stood up and stomped her foot. “I am allowed.” She watched in horror as Mr. Jake pulled out his phone and dialed someone. He was calling Eve. She was about to say she was just joking but Eve answered the phone really fast because Mr. Jake was already talking.

“Is she allowed to have beer?”

“What?” Eve shrieked. “No!” She was almost to the bar where she was meeting Carolyn and Konstantin. “Did she say she was allowed to have beer?”

“Yeah. What do you want me to do?”

“Give her a swat and put her in the corner for ten minutes. Set a timer or she’ll argue it’s been ten minutes when it’s been two.”

“Give her a what?” His voice reached soprano level.

“A swat. You know, a spank. On the butt.”

“That’s...” His voice was still higher than a kite.

Villanelle did not think she liked Mr. Jake’s end of the conversation at all. “I was only joking, Mommy!” she shouted, hoping Eve could hear her.

Eve snorted. “Put her on the phone, would you?” She parked the car and got out, slipping on her coat.

“She wants to talk to you,” Jake said, holding out the phone.

Villanelle screwed up her face and took it. “Hi Mommy, I was only jok—”

“Jake is going to swat you and put you in the corner. Behave yourself, do you understand, Oksana? Beer? Really? You know better. Give me back to Jake, and know this, little girl, I’m not hanging up until you’ve been smacked and sent to the corner, so don’t try anything.”

Her face stayed screwed up as she handed back the phone and she pouted. She wanted to be good for Eve, but how embarrassing, getting in trouble with the babysitters. She should not have lied about the beer. She gave Mr. Jake very big eyes.

“What am I supposed to do, exactly? She’s just looking at me with really big eyes,” Mr. Jake told Eve.

“For fuck’s sake,” Eve said, pulling open the door of the bar. “Tell her to turn around, or take her arm and turn her around. It’s not rocket science!”

“What does she want you to do, Jake?” Ms. Arlene asked impatiently. “You’re being useless.”

“She wants me to give her a swat!” Mr. Jake squealed like a girl.

“I’ll do it,” Ms. Arlene said, rolling her eyes. “Turn around, honey.”

Villanelle pouted and gave her very big eyes also, but Ms. Arlene did not look impressed so she turned around and prepared herself. She jumped when Ms. Arlene spanked her, because it was not very gentle, and she burst into tears. “I want my mommy!”

“Oh God. She’s crying and saying she wants her mommy,” Jake said. “Now what do I do?”

Eve fought the urge to crawl through the phone line and throttle him. “The same thing I told you to do before. Put her in the corner and set a timer for ten minutes.”

“But she’s crying.”

“Of course she’s crying, she’s eight years old and she just got into trouble. She can cry in the corner. If you can’t do it, ask Arlene.”

“What’s her name again?” Jake whispered.

“Oksana,” Eve said while moving through the bar and murdering him in her mind.

Villanelle was still crying as Mr. Jake approached her. “Axe-sanna,” he said, butchering her name horribly. “Your mum says for you to stand in the corner for ten minutes.”

He was loud so that she could hear him over her crying. “Don’t yell at me Mr. Jake!” she yelled at him, and she threw her arms around his waist, crying into his chest.

His voice was nicer after that and he awkwardly patted her on the head as he moved her into the corner and pried her arms from his waist. “Okay Axe-sanna, just stand here for ten minutes. I’m setting the timer on my phone, and when it beeps you can come out of the corner.”

Villanelle nodded and kept crying. She wanted Eve.

“She’s standing there,” Mr. Jake said into the phone.

Eve sighed with relief. “Good. Hang up and set the timer. I have to go.” She reached Carolyn and Konstantin and sat down with a grunt. They already had coffees.

“You’re late,” Carolyn said.

“Fine thanks, how are you?” Eve snorted.

“Where is Villanelle?” Konstantin asked.

“At the babysitter’s,” she answered, perusing the menu.

Konstantin choked on his coffee.

“You’ve found someone to watch her? Excellent. I hope you pay them top rate, Eve. She is a handful.”

Eve snapped her head toward Carolyn. “What? I’m not paying them at all.”

Carolyn regarded her over the top of her glasses for a disapproving, pitying moment. “How unfortunate. Shall we begin?”

Eve blinked. “What do you mean, how unfortunate?”

“Hm?” Carolyn looked like she had already forgotten the conversation. Then she shook her head slightly. “Oh. Nothing.” She waved her hand.

“Yeah, it wasn’t nothing. What did you mean?”

Carolyn looked at Eve over the top of her glasses. “You will need to provide these people compensation for handling Villanelle, Eve. High, exorbitant compensation. If they are alive to receive it.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “She’s not gonna kill the babysitters, Carolyn.”

She turned to order a coffee and while she waited for it, she frowned.

“I’m just gonna...” She pulled out her phone and called Jake.

***

Villanelle had roughly three minutes left in the corner when she heard Mr. Jake’s phone ring. “Is that Mommy?”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to talk whilst you’re in the corner, lovely,” Ms. Arlene said gently, because Ville had only JUST stopped crying.

Villanelle knew Ms. Arlene was trying to be gentle but... she really just wanted Eve to be done with her meeting. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and faced the corner again with a sniffle.

“Hello?”

“Oh thank God.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Wrong number.”

“Eve?”

“Oh, is this Jake? My bad. I was trying to call someone else.” He was alive! She hung up before he could ask any more questions.

Villanelle started bouncing on the balls of her feet and stuck a knuckle in her mouth, chewing anxiously. She wanted out of the corner and she wanted Eve to hurry up.

When she heard Mr. Jake’s timer go off she bounded out of the corner and started examining the apartment. NOT casing it. Examining. For style and stuff. Not for jewelry and watches. She looked at photographs and picked one up. “Who’s this, Ms. Arlene?” she asked, holding it out.

Ms. Arlene came over and took a look. “That’s my niece, Graciela. She’s about your age.”

Ville smiled and put the photo back. “Do you want to color with me? Mommy packed me a bag with my coloring books and crayons.”

“Sure, love,” Ms. Arlene said, putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her over to the sofa. “Jake, bring over Oksana’s bag, would you?”

Mr. Jake looked around until he saw it by the door and brought it over to them.

Villanelle sat down and looked up at Mr. Jake. “There is enough coloring books and crayons for you too, Mr. Jake,” she said quietly. It would be cool if she could get both babysitters to play with her.

“I don’t color.”

Ms. Arlene hit him in the leg as she sat down next to Villanelle.

“Ow! Jesus! Can’t we do something else?”

Villanelle blinked up at him. “Like what? Do you have guns? We could shoot guns...”

Mr. Jake sat down quickly. “Where are the fucking crayons?”

“I would be in so much trouble if I said that word,” Villanelle told him, handing him a pile of crayons and pulling a few coloring books out of her bag.

“Watch your mouth,” Ms. Arlene said and Ville thought she sounded exasperated. “Oksana is trying to behave. You could do the same.”

Villanelle definitely liked Ms. Arlene. She liked Mr. Jake too, because he was ridiculous. She looked at Ms. Arlene. “Can I sit in your lap?”

Mr. Jake dropped his crayon.

“Of course, love,” Ms. Arlene said, making room for her, and Villanelle scooted over to sit with her. She snuggled in for a minute, trying to show her appreciation, and then opened her favorite coloring book and started to color Batman.

“Batman’s mask isn’t yellow,” Mr. Jake said with a frown, and Villanelle gasped.

“Mommy says I can use my imagination,” she breathed. “That I can make things any color I want.”

“My husband is a very silly man,” Ms. Arlene told her. “You can use any color you want, your mummy’s spot on.”

Villanelle stuck her tongue out at Mr. Jake and scribbled yellow over his picture.

“Uh!” he complained, staring at her with wide eyes. “That’s rude...”

“ _You_ are rude,” Villanelle argued. “You do not want me to use my imagination. You should not tell little girls that they are not coloring a picture the right way.”

“Oksana,” Ms. Arlene said. “It’s very naughty to ask someone to color with you and then ruin their picture, wouldn’t you say? Do you want Mr. Jake to color with us or not?”

Ville deflated at that and turned to hide her face in Ms. Arlene’s shoulder, but she nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“Then maybe you should say sorry for coloring on his picture, and he can say sorry for being rude about yours.”

Villanelle did not want to say she was sorry, but she did want them to all color together, so she sighed and took her face out of Ms. Arlene’s shoulder. “I am sorry for coloring on your picture, Mr. Jake.”

She thought he did not want to say sorry either. “I’m sorry for being rude about your yellow,” he mumbled.

“It is okay,” she decided. “Can I sit on your lap next?”

Crayon – crushed. “I think Arlene likes you on her lap too much.”

“Jake,” Arlene scolded.

He just shook his head with his lips pressed into a tight line. Villanelle could tell he wasn’t giving up on this one.

“No, it is okay,” she said for a second time. “I decided I like your lap better, Ms. Arlene.”

***

Eve finished her meeting and headed home in a rush, hoping Jake and Arlene were still alive. She’d only been at the bar for a little over an hour, but anything could happen.

She heard _Dream On_ as she approached the door, and when she knocked, there was no answer. Panic set in a little, she had to admit, and she tried the handle. It was unlocked, thank God. She pushed the door open and froze in her tracks.

Villanelle was jumping on the couch, wearing a princess costume and holding a Rock Band microphone, Jake had the guitar and was shredding along with the solo, and Arlene was beating the hell out of the drums.

Oh. _God_.


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited trip to the zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I forgot my disclaimer. I was looking up how many people can ride an elephant, to see if Eve could ride with her, and it says Elephants are not meant to carry weight on their backs and it's wrong to ride them. So I will never do it if I go to the zoo again and they are still offering it, and I do not condone it now that I have this information, but this is fiction and I had already planned to let Oksana ride an elephant and didn't want to take that away.
> 
> (Also I will try to catch up on replying to comments tonight.)

“Mommy!” Villanelle shrieked, abandoning the microphone onto the couch and jumping down, running over and throwing herself at Eve, squishing the life out of her.

“Oof!” Eve grunted, stumbling backward into the door. “Hi, baby! Did you have fun!”

“Mr. Jake said the F word,” Villanelle said immediately. “And he told me Batman’s mask isn’t yellow. Don’t you say I can use my imagination, Mommy, and color things any color I want?”

Eve tried not to laugh. “I do say that, you’re right. Other than the F word and Batman’s mask, did you have fun?”

“Yes, did you notice my princess costume?” Villanelle pulled back and twirled in a circle.

“It is so beautiful. Did Ms. Arlene get that for you?”

“Me and Ms. Arlene picked it out and Mr. Jake paid the lady,” Villanelle said, beaming. “Do I look pretty?”

“You look the prettiest. Are you ready for the zoo? Do you want to wear that or does it need to stay here for next time?”

Jake had shut off the game and his face looked pained. “Next time?” Eve saw him mouth to Arlene.

“I want to wear it,” Villanelle said.

“Did you ask Ms. Arlene if it needs to stay here?”

“No, it is mine.”

“Oksana,” Eve scolded.

Villanelle didn’t like that voice and she pouted, but she turned and skulked over to Ms. Arlene. “Does my princess costume have to stay here for next time?” she asked, staring at the floor and scuffing her sock on the hardwood.

Arlene looked at Eve and Eve shrugged. “It’s genuinely up to you. You bought it for her.”

Villanelle was wringing her hands now.

“I think it’s fine for you to keep it, lovely,” Arlene said, standing up and kissing Ville’s forehead. “You were very good for us after the incident with the beer.”

Villanelle’s nervousness faded and she threw her arms around Ms. Arlene. “Thank you!” she said, squeezing. “Thank you thank you thank you Ms. Arlene!”

“You’re welcome,” Ms. Arlene said, and Villanelle could hear the smile in her voice even if her face was buried so she couldn’t see it.

She let go and skipped back over to Eve. “Mommy, she said YES!”

“I heard,” Eve said. “Do you want to text Auntie Nita and see if she’s ready?”

Villanelle gritted her teeth and growled. “WHAT did I say about calling your sex lady Auntie Nita?!” she shouted. “I’m not stupid and she’s not my auntie!”

Jake made a beeline for any other part of the house.

Villanelle wasn’t sure what she saw on Eve’s face.

Eve was tempted to punish her right there, but taking away the zoo trip would be far more effective than anything else. “I thought you wanted to go to the zoo, Oksana, but we can just go home. You can take off the princess costume, leave it here, march down the hall and spend the day in your room.”

Villanelle’s eyes went wide, her heart thudding painfully. “No,” she breathed. “Mommy, please, no... I am sorry... I am so sorry... I really want to go to the zoo, I never got to go before... I am sorry I am sorry I am sorry. Please, please don’t make us go home. I’ll be good, I promise.”

Eve melted a little and sighed. “Why did you think it was okay to talk to me like that, baby? Do I ever talk to you like that?”

Villanelle stared at Eve’s shoes. “No, Mommy.” She shook her head, fast.

“So why did you talk to me that way?” Eve knew there was a reason hiding, and it was probably a good one, but Villanelle needed some help to get it out.

Villanelle knew Eve was trying to help her. She tried to figure out why it bothered her so much. She knew that once she opened her mouth, the truth would probably come out, so she started talking. “I do not like it when you—when you—”

Eve knew it was coming now.

“When you do not tell me the truth because I am small,” Villanelle finally said. “It makes me feel bad, Mommy. It hurts my feelings. Because I am a big girl and I know what having a girlfriend means and I want you to treat me like a big girl.”

Eve melted a little more and pulled her into a hug. “Oksana,” she said, holding her tight, kissing the back of her head – careful to avoid getting poked by her princess tiara. “Oksana, you’ve got to tell me these things before you let them build up so much that you’re disrespectful. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings, baby. I know you’re a big girl. And you’re right, I shouldn’t pretend. How about we call her Ms. Nita instead?”

Villanelle sank gratefully into Eve’s arms and nodded at the suggestion. “Yes, Mommy. Ms. Nita is perfect.”

“Do you want to text her, baby?”

Villanelle nodded against Eve’s chest. “Mhmm.”

Eve kissed her head again and let her go. She fished her cell phone out from her back pocket and handed it over.

Villanelle scrolled through to Nita’s name and sent a text.

_hi ms nita it is oksana are you ready for us to pick you up for the zoo_

She handed the phone back to Eve.

Eve read the text and smiled. “Good job, baby.”

The phone buzzed.

“What does it say? What does it say, Mommy?” Villanelle tried to peer at the screen.

“She’s ready,” Eve said, and tucked the phone away, turning to Arlene. “Thank you so much for watching her. We would love to have you for dinner tomorrow night to say thank you.”

“We’re busy!” they heard from the other side of the house.

“We’ll be there,” Arlene said with a smile, walking them the short distance to the door and opening it for them. “What time is good?”

“Let’s say seven,” Eve said. “Is there anything you don’t eat?”

“Whatever you make will be lovely,” Arlene said, and looked at Villanelle. “Are you going to help cook, Oksana?”

Villanelle beamed. “Yes, I am very good at cooking,” she said. “I am very good at so many things.”

“Well you’re very good at coloring and singing,” Ms. Arlene agreed. “Have fun at the zoo!”

“Thank you for watching me.” Villanelle was still beaming and hugged Ms. Arlene one more time on the way out the door. When she was alone with Eve, she asked, “Mommy, can I drive? I am sooo good at driving.”

Eve laughed and shook her head. “Not a chance.”

***

Eve made Villanelle move to the back when they picked up Nita, and to her surprise, her little girl didn’t put up a fuss. Ville actually didn’t argue at all, she just climbed over the seat and into the back, buckling her seatbelt without being asked.

When Nita got in, she leaned over to kiss Eve’s cheek and then turned around to look at Villanelle. “Oh my goodness... Eve, did you know there’s a princess in the car?”

“What?” Eve asked, turning around with wide eyes. She winked at Ville before gasping. “I had no idea!”

Villanelle flopped onto her side laughing. “Princess Oksana wants to go to the zoo...”

“Oh, it’s Princess Oksana we’ve got in here,” Nita said sagely. “We’d better get going then, Eve.”

Villanelle kept laughing but sat up when the car started moving so Eve would not scold her for being unsafe.

***

“Hold hands!” Eve yelled as Ville started off at a run once they were past the entrance gate.

Villanelle stopped and returned to Eve and Nita, taking Eve’s outstretched hand. “I am so exciteddddd!” she screamed, muffling her voice in her sleeve.

Nita was not sure she would survive the cuteness of Villanelle as Oksana today.

“What do you want to see first, baby?” Eve asked, and the three of them started walking together.

“Can we see the penguins?”

Eve snagged a map on their way past the information booth and handed it to Nita, who opened it up, and they studied the layout.

“Right there!” Villanelle shrieked, using her free hand to jab at the penguin enclosure’s depiction with one finger.

Nita closed her eyes. No, she would not survive. It was literally the cutest thing she had ever seen in her entire life. She had no idea how Eve handled this on a semi-regular basis.

“So it looks like that’s straight ahead. You want penguins first, Oksana?” Eve asked.

“Yes please, Mommy and Ms. Nita.”

Nita jerked the map up to her face to hide her quiet laugh, and then started folding it back up. “Don’t forget how penguins smell,” she said.

“How do they smell?” Villanelle asked as she skipped along still holding Eve’s hand.

“Extra fishy,” Nita said, making a face.

“Ms. Nita, penguins are fish,” Villanelle said. “Of course they will smell extra fishy!”

“Okay, as long as you know,” Nita said with a laugh, even though penguins weren’t fish.

Eve said nothing because she knew Ville was going to hate the smell.

When they reached the penguin enclosure, Villanelle was standing for about five seconds before she gagged and backed off until she could breathe. “Fuck!” she whined. “Mommy, it’s awful!”

Eve’s eyes went wide and she took Ville by the elbow, smacking her little princess-covered butt. “Oksana!” she scolded. “What did you just say?”

Villanelle gasped and immediately leaned into Eve, hiding her face. “Mr. Jake said it, Mommy...”

“That does not make it okay for you,” Eve said, incredulous. “If I hear one more thing like that we’re leaving.”

Nita noticed the stares, but thought that Eve and Villanelle were both oblivious. And if they didn’t care, why should she bring it to their attention? So she didn’t.

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” Villanelle mumbled into Eve’s chest. “The penguins smell very bad and I was upset.”

“Why don’t you try apologizing again without making excuses?” Eve said, unimpressed. “That means no blaming the penguins and no blaming Mr. Jake. And look at me when you speak.”

Villanelle shifted her feet nervously and picked her head up to look at Eve, and she bit her lip, thinking of how best to say it. “I am sorry I made a bad choice and used a bad word, Mommy,” she finally said softly.

“Thank you.” Eve kissed her forehead. “Now can you handle the smell of the penguins or do you want to go see another animal?”

“I will plug my nose. I want to see the penguins,” Villanelle decided. She plugged her nose and walked back over to the fence, and pointed with her other hand.

Nita rejoined them and slipped an arm around Villanelle’s shoulders. “Did you know that penguins mate for life?”

Villanelle looked at the penguins, back at Nita, then at Eve, then back at the penguins, then back at Nita. “They all look the same!” she blurted out. “How do they know who they’re married to?!”

Eve had a small fit and ended up squeezing Villanelle, while Nita just stared at the penguins trying to figure out how to answer that.

“Well, I suppose they—” She stopped; stared some more. “I mean I’m sure they have—” Nope. “Maybe they smell different.”

Villanelle started moving away from the penguins. “They smell horrible! Who would want to get married based on that horrible smell?!”

“Oksana,” Eve said, following along beside her. “Maybe the penguins don’t think they smell horrible.”

Villanelle kept walking, a little faster, and finally unplugged her nose and gagged as she breathed. “Oh, Mommy, I can still smell them!” she complained.

“Just keep breathing, baby, it’ll get better.”

“THE ELEPHANTS!” Villanelle screamed and took off running. She had always wanted to ride an elephant. They were so big and slow and it would be so fun and not scary at all and she was going to do it.

“How do you handle the cute?” Nita asked as she and Eve walked faster.

Eve looked fondly at the running Villanelle and grinned with a shrug, turning to look at Nita. “She’s perfect, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she i—Eve, oh my God, she’s climbing the fence.”

“What?!” Eve took off, barely managing to reach the fence in time to grab Villanelle around the waist before she got too high to retrieve without climbing it herself. She dragged Ville down and set her on her feet and held her by the arms, giving her a shake. “Oksana Astankova! What did you think you were doing?! You know better than that!”

Villanelle didn’t like Eve yelling and she made a disgusted face and tried to get away, but Eve was holding her very firmly and she couldn’t get out of the grip without using grown-up strength. “Mommy! I want to ride the elephant! Let me go!” she shouted, squirming some more.

“No,” Eve said, and she spied a bathroom a little ways off, marching Villanelle toward it.

Villanelle saw where they were headed and renewed her efforts to get away, but then Eve was on one side and Ms. Nita was on the other, and she wasn’t going anywhere. “No!” she screamed, kicking her feet so they had to carry her. This was not happening. Not on her perfect zoo day. She tried headbutting Eve with the tiara spokes but that just made Eve and Ms. Nita walk faster.

Eve was not pleased being headbutted with that tiara, and Villanelle was losing the privilege of wearing it as soon as they got into the bathroom, that was for sure. They finally reached it and Eve dragged Ville into the handicapped stall. She took off the tiara and handed it to Nita.

Nita took the tiara and stepped out of the stall so Eve could close the door, and she smiled apologetically at the smattering of women in the bathroom. “You might want to close your ears...”

“First of all, you’re not having the tiara back today because you headbutted me with it.”

“IT’S MINE!” Villanelle screamed. “GIVE IT BACK!”

Eve took a slow breath. She put one foot up on the toilet and bent Villanelle across her knee, pulled up the dress and tugged down her pajama pants and panties, and spanked her. Harder than she had ever spanked Oksana before.

Villanelle struggled until the first swat landed and then she went still, tears in her eyes. “No Mommy, no, please!”

Eve ignored her and turned her bottom a rosy pink, not about to let her behave this way.

Villanelle held it in as long as she could and then burst into tears, hugging Eve’s leg. “Nooooooo,” she wailed, miserable. “I hate you, Mommy!”

Eve gasped, stunned into inaction. She just stood there frozen, trying to process what had just happened. She was a little surprised when she felt her eyes sting and realized she was about to cry herself.

Villanelle seized Eve’s moment of immobility to pull up her pants and panties and tear out of the stall, dodging Ms. Nita’s attempt to grab her arm, and she ran out of the restroom.

Eve’s heart felt like it was being ripped out of her chest, and she walked aimlessly out of the stall, letting Nita hug her.

***

Villanelle ran all the way to the other side of the zoo, to the playground area, and sat in the sand, crying. She didn’t know how long she was sitting before a little boy came up and sat with her.

“Are you a princess?”

She sniffled and nodded. “Yes.”

“I am a king but my costume is at home. You are lucky your mommy and daddy let you wear yours to the zoo.”

“I don’t have a daddy and I hate my mommy,” Villanelle sniffed.

“Why don’t you have a daddy?”

Ville shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Why do you hate your mommy?”

“She wouldn’t let me ride the elephants and she spanked me,” Villanelle said, still sniffling.

The little boy’s mouth went wide. “She pulled you out of line to spank you? That’s so mean...”

Villanelle’s head snapped up. “Line? What line?”

“The line to ride the elephant.”

“There is a line?”

“Did you cut to the front? Is that why you were in trouble?”

“No. I did not know about a line. I was climbing the fence.”

“You cannot do that. You could get hurt, and the zoo people will make you leave forever. You will not be allowed to come back.”

Villanelle stared at him. She would have gotten kicked out of the zoo if Eve had not dragged her down from the fence? Oh, no. Oh, no, what had she done? She had said—Just thinking about what she had said to Eve made her sick. “I have to find my mommy,” she told the boy and got up, brushing off the back of her dress.

“Bye.”

“Bye.” She started retracing her steps and didn’t get far before she saw Eve and Ms. Nita, and she threw herself at Eve, in tears all over again. “I didn’t mean it, Mommy! I didn’t mean it, I love you so much, I am so very sorry...”

Eve hugged her extra tight, breathing in the scent of her, relieved beyond belief at the change in attitude. “I love you, Oksana.” She stroked Ville’s hair.

Villanelle just stayed clung to Eve for several minutes, then pulled back and took off her princess dress. She folded it and stuffed it into Eve’s purse. “I do not deserve to be a princess today.” Before Eve could say anything, she continued. “I know I ruined the day and I am ready to go home.” She slid one hand into Eve’s and one into Ms. Nita’s.

Eve wasn’t sure what to do, honestly. She sighed and led them over to a bench, then sat and tugged Ville onto her lap. “I think we’ll have a talk before we decide what to do.”

Villanelle settled and tucked her head against Eve’s neck. “I love you so, so much... I wish I had never said I hate you, Mommy,” she whispered. “I feel very sick in my tummy about it.”

Eve didn’t want to lie. “It was really hurtful, Oksana. I feel sick in my tummy about it too. Mommies have feelings just like little girls do.”

Villanelle pressed harder into Eve’s neck. “Please take me home and punish me, Mommy.”

“Baby... everyone makes mistakes. This is your very first time at the zoo and you were overexcited, and you thought I was being mean about the elephants. I already spanked you, didn’t I? And you were heartbroken and lashed out, but you’re very sorry about it, I can tell. We all say things we don’t really mean sometimes.”

“But I hurt your feelings,” Villanelle said, a shiver running through her. “I am the worst little girl ever.”

“You did hurt my feelings, but you are still the best little girl ever,” Eve said. “You know I would never lie to you, Oksana.”

“I do not feel like the best, Mommy.”

“I know, baby. But you will again soon. It’s okay to feel sad.”

Villanelle nodded and curled in closer. She sniffed and wiped her face on Eve’s shoulder. “Did you know there’s a line to ride the elephant?” she asked very softly.

Eve so loved having Ville’s snot on her shirt. She snorted to herself and kissed her little girl’s head. “I wonder if someone would have found that out and avoided a spanking if she had been a little bit more patient,” she said.

Villanelle’s cheeks burned a little but she nodded in agreement. “Yes, Mommy. I know I will not get to do it today.”

“No, I think you’ve learned your lesson. I want you to enjoy the rest of our trip with a clean slate. We’ll go stand in line so you can ride the elephant, but if you misbehave again, and that includes language, doing anything dangerous, or being disrespectful, we will be leaving then. Do you understand, baby?”

Villanelle could barely contain her excitement about the elephant, but she tried so hard because she wanted to be good for Eve, and not listening to the rest would not be good. So she listened and nodded, clenching her teeth to try to control herself, and when Eve was done, she agreed. “Yes, Mommy. If I do not behave one more time we are going home.”

“Good girl,” Eve said, squeezing her tight and then letting go so they could both get up.

Villanelle walked over to Ms. Nita and gently slid into a hug. “I am sorry, Ms. Nita,” she whispered. “I got very excited and forgot my manners, and I was not nice.”

“Thank you, Oksana. I know it’s not always easy to apologize.” Nita hugged her back.

“Do you still like me?”

“Of course.”

“And you still like Mommy?”

“Mhmm.”

***

Villanelle was doing the thing again where she stood halfway behind Eve and chewed on the shoulder of her blouse. They were next in line and she knew Ville was excited. This poor blouse, though. Dried snot on one shoulder and teeth marks and drool on the other. “What are the rules?” she asked for the third time, because an excited Villanelle was a forgetful Villanelle.

Villanelle chewed harder on the blouse and then talked around it. “Shit shtill. Vee nishe. D—”

“Oksana, take the blouse out of your mouth and try that again,” Eve interrupted.

Villanelle forced herself backward and clenched her hands into fists instead of biting. “Sit still. Be nice. Do not touch anyone or anything.”

“Good job,” Eve said, and then it was their turn. She covered Villanelle’s ears for a second to whisper to the attendant. “Just go with it and I’ll tip you.” She uncovered Ville’s ears. “One child ticket.”

He looked hesitant but he said nothing and just handed over a children’s ticket.

Villanelle immediately crushed it in her fist and stepped onto the platform, holding the mangled piece of cardstock out to the other attendant.

Eve paid the adult price plus a five-dollar tip and then moved aside with Nita so they could watch Villanelle have her elephant ride.

Villanelle sat very still. She sat on her hands, actually, so she wouldn’t try to pet the elephant. She did not want to scare him, and she was trying to follow the rules. It was so fun, it almost felt like she was flying, and she was very grateful to the elephant for taking her for a ride. “Thank you, Harry,” she told him, because the sign said his name was Harry, so it would not be nice to call him elephant. “I have never gotten to ride an elephant before. You are the very first and I will always remember you.”

When it was over, the man helped her down and let her gently pet Harry behind his ear, and she squealed and ran over to Eve and Ms. Nita.

“Did you see me? Mommy? Ms. Nita?”

“We watched you the entire time!” Nita said. “You followed all the rules... your mommy was very happy with you, Oksana.”

“And you?” Villanelle asked.

“And me, I feel very proud of you,” Nita assured her, resisting the urge to grab her face and pinch her cheeks and leave embarrassing kisses all over the top of her head.

Villanelle beamed and turned to Eve. “Harry is a very good elephant. I was polite and told him thank you.”

“Good girl,” Eve said, pulling her into a hug. “What do you want to see next?”

***

They saw all of the animals, actually, and Eve only had to pull Villanelle back from the glass one time, because there was a glare and she was trying to see the little emperor tamarins, but when she tugged on Ville’s shirt, her little girl had immediately stepped back and not gone forward again. “Should we come back to them when the sun’s in a different position?” she suggested. “So you can see them better?”

“YES,” Villanelle gushed. “Good idea, Mommy.”

The couple next to them turned their heads. “Mommy?” the girl asked, making a face.

Nita snapped toward them. “Unless you want _me_ to be your daddy instead of him, shut your face and move along,” she said under her breath so Villanelle wouldn’t hear. She must have looked especially fierce and prepared to carry out her threat because the couple rushed off. Why couldn’t people just mind their own business?

Eve mouthed thank you behind Villanelle’s head. “Let’s get cotton candy,” she said. “Then ride the train around and come back to check on these little tamarin things.”

“Emperor tamarins, Mommy,” Villanelle said, laughing, and then the cotton candy bit registered and her eyes went wide. “COTTON CANDY?” she roared. “YES, PLEASE!”

She wanted the blue one, and Eve snuck it onto the train with them, so now she was sat staring out at everything, eating her cotton candy as they rode around the zoo.

Eve had been looking at the tigers, and when she looked back to Villanelle she nearly choked. She had sticky blue sugar all over her face and hands and in her hair. “OhmyGod,” she muttered, nudging Nita.

Nita turned around when she felt a nudge and laughed at the state of Villanelle’s face... oh Lord, also her hands and her hair. “You’re a mess, Oksana,” she said, still laughing. “We’ll need to clean you up before we go into the gift shop.”

Villanelle could feel stickiness on her face but of course she couldn’t see it. She looked at her hands, though, one still holding the empty stick, and giggled when she saw they were both blue.

After the train ride she got to see the emperor tamarins in better light, and stayed back from the glass like she was supposed to.

“We got to see all the animals, Mommy!” she said excitedly, clapping her hands. “Thank you!”

“I’m glad we had time to see them all,” Eve said, kissing her head. “Okay, let’s get you cleaned up before we even step foot in that gift shop.”

Villanelle’s hands were still blue and she still had cotton candy residue all over her face and in her hair. She didn’t care, but she knew she wouldn’t be allowed to touch any of the toys if she didn’t let Eve clean her up. “Okay,” she said agreeably.

“Good girl, thank you,” Eve said, and they found the nearest bathroom.

Villanelle washed her own hands, but Eve helped scrub the parts that were hard to get off, and then helped Ville wash her face and wet down her hair. It wouldn’t come out completely until she had a bath, but it was better. And her hands and face were clean.

“What are you going to get from the gift shop?” Nita asked as they headed out of the bathroom.

“I want to get a stuffy,” Villanelle said, skipping ahead a little ways but making sure to stay close enough that she was following the rules. “A monkey.”

“Oh, that sounds lovely,” Nita said. “If your mommy gets you a stuffy, how about I get you a sticker book?”

Villanelle stopped and stared at Ms. Nita. “ _Two_ things?”

Nita laughed. “One from your mommy and one from me. I think that’s fair, right Eve?”

Eve grabbed Ville into a hug and squeezed her. “Definitely fair. A stuffy and a sticker book for Princess Oksana.” She realized what she’d said when Villanelle’s eyes lowered to the ground and her body language closed in on itself.

“I’m not a princess anymore,” Villanelle whispered.

Eve’s heart wrenched. “You’re still a princess, baby. Do you want to put the dress back on?”

Villanelle looked up. “Really?”

“Really,” Eve promised. She took the dress from her purse and gave it to Ville, who hurriedly put it on and looked very relieved about it. “Better?”

“Yes, Mommy,” Villanelle said, smoothing down the dress. “Thank you.”

When they got inside the gift shop, Villanelle grabbed Eve’s arm with both hands and squeezed until Eve made a strangled noise of protest, and then she relaxed the hold, but she was still so full of excited energy that she was practically buzzing. She picked up every single monkey before she decided on a small one that looked most like the emperor tamarins even if it wasn’t exact.

“Is this one okay?” she asked, holding her choice up to Eve.

“Hmm,” Eve said, eyeing the monkey. “What are you going to call him?”

Villanelle squished the monkey and made it dance. “Mr. Jake.”

Eve snorted out a laugh and covered her mouth. “Perfect, baby.” She looked at Nita. “That’s our neighbor... he and his wife babysat for Oksana this morning while I went to a meeting.”

“I was very good,” Villanelle informed Ms. Nita. “They took me to the store and bought me this princess costume because they like me so much.”

“Well who wouldn’t like you?” Nita asked.

“No one. That would be silly,” Villanelle said, scrunching up her nose. Then she made the monkey dance some more. “Do you think they really have sticker books here?”

“They did last time I visited. I got one for my niece.”

Villanelle’s interested shifted momentarily. “How old is she?”

“She’s eleven. She was eight or nine at the time. Come on.”

She followed Ms. Nita over to the puzzles and games section and saw the sticker book right away. “They do! Ms. Nita, you are right!” Her hands ached to grab it but she behaved and let Ms. Nita take it from the shelf and bring it to the checkout line.

Eve had been looking at the T-shirts but didn’t find anything she wanted, and joined Ville and Nita at the register. “All good? Did we find the perfect sticker book?”

“Yes,” Villanelle said with a sage nod, and she gave up her stuffy so Eve could pay for it.

She held both of her things during the car ride back to Ms. Nita’s and said thank you again and gave hugs when they dropped Ms. Nita off.

“Can I sit in the front now, Mommy?” she asked after they watched to make sure Ms. Nita got into her house okay. It was dark now. Kind of dark at least.

“Sure, baby.”

She thrust her stuffy and sticker book onto Eve’s lap to keep them safe while she climbed over the passenger’s seat and got settled. She put her seatbelt on and then took her things from Eve’s lap and held them to her chest for the drive home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to add... you can follow me on twitter! @lexus_grey


	50. Chapter 50

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The emotional fallout of Oksana's words at the zoo :(
> 
> Follow me on twitter @lexus_grey
> 
> Also go read Villanon's story "82" because omg it's the hottest thing in life

When they got home, they snuggled up on the couch and watched Care Bears, the old movie, the good one with the little sorcerer kid and the brother and sister trying to save him from turning evil. Villanelle hadn’t seen it before, and she loved it.

When Eve turned the TV off, something shifted. Villanelle knew it was bedtime, and she could not go to bed with the gnawing guilt that was still eating her alive. It had been pushed back during the rest of the zoo trip, then during the movie, but now there was nothing to distract her and it returned full force.

Eve was about to get up when Villanelle burst into tears. “Oksana?” she asked, eyes wide. “Baby? What’s wrong? What happened?”

Villanelle cried into Eve’s chest, and she didn’t even know if she felt like Oksana anymore tonight, because she wanted Eve to punish her so, so harshly for what she’d said in the bathroom at the zoo.

When Villanelle didn’t answer, Eve just held her and waited.

Villanelle’s composure got more and more away from her until she was sobbing, clinging to Eve’s chest so tightly she could hardly breathe. “Eve, please, make it stop!” she begged. “Make it stop!”

“I will,” Eve promised. Even though she didn’t know what it was, she knew what Villanelle needed to hear right now. “I will, baby. I’m right here.”

Villanelle cried until she couldn’t anymore. “I want you to punish me the worst you ever have,” she finally said, her voice rough and broken.

Eve immediately realized what this was about now and held Ville tighter. “Baby girl... all kids say that to their parents at some point. I said it to my mother all the time... you don’t deserve to be punished. We worked through it at the time.”

“No, Eve, no! You have to!” Villanelle said desperately, her eyes going wide. “You have to, Eve, please!”

“Ville, I—”

“Oksana is the worst little girl ever and she’s never coming back!” Villanelle screamed.

Eve’s reaction was instinctive. She’d slapped Villanelle’s face before she even realized her arm was moving.

“Yes!” Villanelle encouraged. “Hit me, please!”

“No, I—” Eve choked on the words; choked on her sadness at Villanelle’s guilt. She felt the sting of her own tears and the wetness as they spilled over. “I love Oksana,” she whispered. “She’s my little girl. Please don’t talk like that about her, Ville...”

Villanelle stared at Eve in shock. Why would she want Oksana around _ever_ after what she’d said? And Eve was crying... that never happened. Only once before and it hadn’t been like this. Eve was actually _crying_ crying. “I’m sorry, I—” She shook her head. “How can you love her? I do not understand, Eve. She was horrible to you.”

Eve pulled Villanelle back into a hug and rested her chin on her lover’s head as she attempted again to explain. “She’s a child, Ville. Children say things they don’t mean. All children; even you. Their emotions aren’t developed enough to think before they speak. That doesn’t make them bad and it doesn’t make them unlovable.”

Villanelle curled closer and tried to let Eve’s words penetrate, but it was hard. “I feel horrible. Oksana feels horrible. She needs—I need you to punish her. Please, Eve. It does not have to be the worst you have ever done, but she cannot feel like she got away with treating you that way, she just cannot. She will not survive it. She will disappear, Eve, and I will not be able to stop it.”

“What does she need? What do you need me to do to her?” Eve asked. “Another spanking? Stood in the corner? Sent to bed early? Extra chores?”

“You should spank her very hard and send her to bed without dinner or a bedtime story or any snuggles at all, and make her tuck herself in and sleep without you so she will understand how it feels not to have you, and then she will always appreciate you and never forget how much she loves you.”

Eve’s heart broke at Villanelle’s idea of punishment for Oksana. “Can we compromise? I want to tuck her in and tell her I love her no matter what she could ever say or do... but I’ll give you the rest of it.”

Villanelle thought that was generous of Eve, because she hadn’t even expected that much of a compromise, so she nodded eagerly. “Yes,” she said, and took a deep breath, following the path of her guilt back to her younger self. “Yes, Mommy.”

Eve made her voice a little stern just for Villanelle’s benefit. “You know you’re in trouble for what you said today, right? And you know it’s big trouble?”

Villanelle nodded again, a sense of calm starting to wind through her body, if not yet her mind. “Yes, Mommy, I know I am in big trouble.”

“You know you’re getting a spanking and going to bed without dinner, and Mommy’s going to sleep on the sofa tonight?”

Villanelle clung tighter for a second but then nodded yet again. “Yes, Mommy. I will be a big girl and be good about all of it, I promise.”

“You are a good girl, Oksana. Everyone makes mistakes. And this punishment will help you learn from it, because learning from our mistakes is what’s really important. So, up you go, and pull your pajamas down, and bend over my lap.”

“Yes, Mommy. I love you,” Villanelle said, climbing to her feet and pushing down her pj bottoms, then laying herself across Eve’s lap.

“I love you too, baby,” Eve said, tugging down Ville’s panties. She would normally take her time getting her little girl warmed up for a spanking, but that’s not what Villanelle had said she needed tonight. “I don’t ever want to hear you say something so naughty again, Oksana,” she lectured, bringing her hand down hard from the start.

Villanelle gasped at the instant burn. Eve had never spanked Oksana hard like this before. It was just what Oksana needed, though, and Villanelle was so grateful, because the ache in her chest was loosening its vile hold bit by bit.

Eve turned her little girl’s bottom a bright, warm pink, spanking until Ville was trying to squirm away from her hand, and then she pulled up her underwear and pajama pants. “Go get in bed. I’ll be in in a minute to tuck you in and speak to you.” She hated not holding and fussing over Villanelle after a spanking, but she’d promised to be punishing.

Villanelle scrambled off of Eve’s lap and went into the bedroom, quickly getting into bed, feeling a hundred times lighter. Her bottom hurt, but that was a welcome change from the gripping pain in her chest. She didn’t pull the blankets up because Eve wanted to tuck her in, that was the compromise. So she just waited. Patiently, for once.

Eve took a minute to collect herself, ran a hand through her hair, and followed Ville to the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss her little girl’s forehead. She pulled the blankets up around Villanelle’s chin and tucked her in securely. “What you said today was unacceptable and it won’t happen again,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “But I need you to know that I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what you could ever say or do. We all say mean things to people we love sometimes, but it doesn’t mean we love them any less. And now you’ve been properly spanked and put to bed without dinner, without a story, and without Mommy sleeping next to you, because you need to be punished for what you said. But I still love you to pieces, Oksana. Do you understand?”

Villanelle’s heart was pounding in her chest as she hung on Eve’s every word. Finally, she nodded. The vise in her chest was almost gone. “Yes, Mommy. I am so sorry for what I said, and I did not mean it at all. I love you to pieces too and you are the best mommy in the whole world.”

Eve grinned and kissed her forehead again. “I don’t know about _that_ ,” she said, trailing off, enjoying Villanelle’s indignant squeak.

“Mommy! You are!” Villanelle insisted. “You are the best.”

“Well in that case, so are you.”

Villanelle made a face, but she knew better than to argue right now.

“Good night, baby girl.”

“Good night, Mommy.”

Eve gave Ville one more kiss and then shut off the bedside lamp and left the room, closing the door behind her.

She grabbed some linens from the closet and made up the couch, then settled down to unwind with some TV before she’d be able to sleep.

***

Eve woke up in the morning to much nudging and shaking. She peered one eye open and groaned at the clock that clearly yelled FOUR THIRTY AM back at her from the wall above the front door.

“Thank you,” Villanelle said, tugging on Eve’s arm. “Come to bed.”

Eve wasn’t going to argue that. The sofa wasn’t abysmal, but it wasn’t the bed, either. She got up and let herself be dragged into the bedroom, then realized she might as well pee since she was up, so she did that and then joined Villanelle in bed. “Feeling better?” she mumbled.

“So much,” Villanelle said, snuggling up. “Thank you. It was perfect. Oksana feels safe and punished and loved.”

“Thank you for telling me what she needed. What you needed.” Eve put her arms around Villanelle and pulled her closer. “I love you, Villanelle.”

Villanelle squeezed her back tight. “I love you, Eve.”


	51. Chapter 51

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ville talks to Audrey. Then dinner with Jake and Arlene.

Well, it was Monday. They were almost to the Bitter Pill when Villanelle shrieked, making Eve jump and hit her head on the roof of the car. “Ow!”

“Eve! I am going to see Audrey!” Villanelle said, her excitement growing, fluttering in her chest. “I had forgotten!”

Eve forgot about her now sore head in the face of Villanelle’s enthusiasm and grinned at her lover. “She’s going to be so impressed, baby.”

“I hope so,” Villanelle said, wringing her hands. “You think she will, Eve?”

The moments of insecurity always tugged at Eve’s heart, few and far between as they were. She leaned over and kissed Villanelle, putting their foreheads together. “I think she will.”

“What if she is not excited for me?” Villanelle asked softly. “I think I will be very upset.”

That could be a problem. There were two ways she could approach it. One, suggest that Villanelle tell Audrey ahead of time that she wanted her to be excited, thus avoiding the issue altogether. It was tempting, but it wasn’t what was best for Villanelle. She’d have to go with the second option. “She might be excited and she might not, or she might be excited and not want to show it, but you need to prepare yourself to be okay with it, Ville.”

“Why would she not want to show she is excited?”

“A lot of reasons. Some people think it makes them vulnerable to show excitement. Or maybe she would be afraid of how you would react if she was excited.”

“I always show when I am excited,” Villanelle said, her brows creasing into a frown.

“I know you do, baby, and I love that about you. But everyone’s different, you know that.”

“Well, yes.”

“So what will you do if she doesn’t seem excited?”

“I will be very upset, I told you.”

“Why will you be upset?”

“Because I am proud of myself and I want her to be proud of me also.”

“But you can’t control other people’s emotions,” Eve said, running a hand through Villanelle’s hair. “You need to accept whatever it is they feel.”

“That sounds like a lot of work, Eve.” Villanelle basically pouted.

“It is,” Eve said with a snicker. “It really is. But you’ll be proud of yourself for that too, and I’ll be proud of you.”

Villanelle sighed and leaned against Eve, resting her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “So I should not be upset if she is not excited for me?”

“I think just preparing yourself for the possibility may be enough to help you be less upset,” Eve said with a nod.

“So what you are saying is... if she is not excited for me... do not kill her?”

“Ville!” Eve shouted, because Villanelle said that with a straight face, but as soon as the admonishment left her lips, her lover smirked. “You little shit.”

Villanelle wiggled in her seat, glad to have fooled Eve, and if Audrey was not excited for her, it would be okay, because Eve would still be proud of her. And really, what was better than having Eve be proud of her? Exactly. Nothing.

***

“Auuuuuudreyyyyyy,” Villanelle called as she burst through the doors of the Bitter Pill with dramatic flair.

Audrey squeaked and looked over from her desk. “You need breakfast?” she guessed.

Villanelle frowned. “Why would you guess that?” she asked, shaking her head. “No! I already ate. I am here to talk to you about something you said.”

The closer she got to Audrey, the more the girl seemed to shrink into her chair. It might have made her happy another day, to cause that reaction, but today she didn’t like it. She didn’t want Audrey to be scared of her anymore.

“Stop doing that shrinking thing.”

Audrey blinked at her. “Sorry?”

Villanelle grunted her distaste and shook her head, taking a seat on Audrey’s desk. “Guess what?”

Audrey did not look like she had very many guesses. “What?” she asked instead of even _trying_.

“Remember when you told me about faking it until I make it?”

Audrey finally looked less uncomfortable. “Yeah, how’s that going for you?”

“Okay, so it is going _great_ ,” Villanelle said, kicking her feet against one of the desk drawers. “First, Eve and Ms. Nita fucked me at the same time, but then after that Ms. Nita decided to let Eve be in charge of her too, and we were standing in the corner and her phone rang, and I really really really felt like I didn’t want her to answer the phone and get into bigger trouble.”

Eve choked on her coffee. She looked quickly over to see Audrey’s expression of—what was that, exactly? It was half horror and half intrigue. She thought about interceding, but if Audrey’s face wasn’t showing one hundred percent horror, maybe she should stay out of it and let Ville have this one, despite the inappropriate way her lover was narrating the story.

“So you see, I was already worried about her getting into trouble,” Villanelle explained before continuing. “Then, when she was in big trouble, she was so nervous, and when Eve let me out of the corner all I wanted to do was make Nita not be nervous, to make her be okay.”

She watched Audrey’s face split into a grin. “So you did it!”

Villanelle couldn’t help the relief she felt that Audrey was going to be excited for her. She squealed a little and kicked her feet faster, thump thump thumping against the wooden drawer. “Yes! I did it! You are excited for me?”

Eve prayed Audrey would say yes, even though she didn’t think Ville would flip out over it after all.

“It’s a very big deal for you, isn’t it?” Audrey asked. “Yes, I am excited for you.”

“Eve!” Villanelle thundered across the office. “Audrey is excited for me!”

Eve melted into a puddle and then re-formed into a human, and she couldn’t help going over to Audrey’s desk to pull Villanelle into a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so happy for you, baby,” she murmured. “And so proud of you.”

Villanelle just beamed, feeling like she was glowing all over. It was a good day.

***

They stopped at the grocery store on the way home to get food for their dinner with Jake and Arlene. “What should we make?” Eve asked, staring at the array of meats.

“You cannot really go wrong with chicken,” Villanelle said with a shrug. “Unless you under or overcook it, but that would ruin anything.”

“Thanks,” Eve said wryly, dropping some chicken breasts into the cart. “Okay, what else? What goes with chicken?”

“Everything goes with chicken, Eve. How about mashed potatoes and green beans?”

“Perfect.” They wove their way to the vegetable aisle and grabbed the green beans and potatoes. “Choice of wine?”

“Pinot Noir, of course.” Villanelle looked up and down the aisle, frowning at her limited choices. If she were in a higher end grocery store... oh, but she wasn’t, so she just chose the one with the prettiest label and put it in the cart. “What if they are alcoholics, Eve?”

“Then they probably wouldn’t keep beer in their apartment?”

“Good point, but we should get some soda just in case. I think we are out.”

“Baby,” Eve said, grabbing her arm and dragging her close, kissing her. “That is so thoughtful of you.”

Villanelle was happy to be dragged and kissed, and Eve’s words made her chest feel warm.

***

There was a knock on the door at seven and Villanelle answered it in an apron and wearing oven mitts. The chicken was almost done and Eve was in the bedroom getting dressed after a shower. “Hello!” she said brightly. “Please, come in.”

“We brought wine,” Arlene said, holding out a bottle of Riesling.

“Ohh, thank you,” Villanelle said, taking off one of the oven mitts so she wouldn’t drop the wine when she took it. “This is a very good vintage. We are having Pinot Noir with dinner but we can have this with dessert.”

“Where’s your mommy?” Jake asked, shutting the door behind them.

Villanelle looked at him. “Dead. Why are you asking about her?”

Jake looked like a fish out of water until Eve came out of the bedroom. “Eve!”

Eve blinked. Were things going wrong already? “How long have you been here?”

“We just got here,” Arlene said. “Jake was asking Oksana about you and...” She trailed off.

Villanelle put two and two together and started laughing. That loud, raucous laugh she reserved for extremely amusing situations. “I am Villanelle,” she said once she got her laughter to stop. It was hard once she started it.

“But you look like Oksana!” Jake argued, eyes wide. “Arlene, what?”

Eve watched the wheels turn for Arlene but not for Jake. She supplied what she hoped would help him stop floundering. “She is Oksana when she feels childish or vulnerable, and I am Mommy at those times. Otherwise we’re Villanelle and Eve; we’re girlfriends.”

“Except when you use the strap. Then you are Daddy,” Villanelle pointed out.

“Jesus Christ, Ville!”

Even Arlene looked pale at that one. Jake turned around to face the door.

“She’s kidding,” Eve lied easily, rolling her eyes. “Dinner’s ready.”

Villanelle hated it when Eve ruined her fun, but she didn’t want to make Eve _mad_ so she forced a laugh and put the wine in the fridge, then got dinner out of the oven.

***

“So, what do you do for work?” Arlene asked Villanelle as they all started eating.

Eve stepped on Ville’s foot under the table just in case.

Villanelle kicked her and smiled at Arlene. “I work at the Bitter Pill with Eve, actually. We’re journalists.”

“Is that how you met?”

“Through our jobs, yes,” Villanelle said sweetly.

Jake was silent and poked at his food with his fork.

“Do not be upset that I was joking about Eve with the strap,” Villanelle told him. “Is that why you are not eating? You are disappointed that it was only a joke?”

“Villanelle,” Eve said, setting down her fork and wiping her face with her napkin, looking at her lover.

“Yes, Eve?”

“Can I speak to you privately for a moment, please?”

She didn’t wait for an answer, she stood up and pulled Ville up by the arm, ushering her into the bedroom and closing the door.

Villanelle pouted.

“Don’t give me that face. You’re being a dick on purpose. I will literally not let you have dessert if you don’t behave.”

The pout turned into a dropped jaw and a speechless assassin.

Well, speechless for a few seconds. Then she had plenty to say. “Eve, that is horrible! How could you threaten to take away my dessert? My favorite part of dinner is dessert! I cannot believe you would do this!”

Eve laughed and grabbed her face, kissing her forehead. “Then behave.”

Villanelle grumbled all the way back to the table and sat sulking as she ate, one foot up on the chair with her knee bent to her chest so she could rest her chin on it and not have to put in the effort to hold her head up while she was sulking.

“I don’t get it,” Jake said. “You’re Villanelle, but you’re also Oksana? Just at different times?”

“It’s called ageplay,” Eve finally threw him a bone. “Google can probably explain it better than I can.”

“Haven’t you ever wanted someone to take care of you?” Villanelle asked. “Or wanted to be free of responsibilities for a little while? Or maybe you had a bad time in your childhood and you wanted to have a do-over? Eve makes me feel very safe and protected and loved when I am Oksana now. Those are things I did not have when I was growing up as Oksana.”

Eve stared at her, because what the fuck! How? How was Villanelle so perfect? How could she express herself so amazingly at the most random moments? When things like this came out of nowhere, Eve was stunned.

Jake started eating, seemingly satisfied with that explanation, and talked with his mouth full. “Okay, I think I get it.”

Villanelle returned the favor, munching on a green bean. “You did not answer the question, though.”

He shrugged. “Sometimes, sure, but I don’t think I’d want to feel like a kid again.”

“You wouldn’t want me to be Mummy?” Arlene asked with a smirk, _after_ she swallowed her food.

Eve appreciated Arlene.

Jake looked at her like O.O. “Uh... I don’t think so?”

“So would you want to be Daddy, then?” Arlene’s smirk twitched a little at one corner.

“Uhhh... I guess I’d have to think about that one,” Jake replied after staring for a minute.

Villanelle thought that maybe she and Eve had just spiced up the neighbors’ sex life. “You’re welcome.”

Luckily, she still got dessert.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on twitter! @lexus_grey

After saying their goodbyes, Villanelle did the dishes while Eve relaxed on the sofa. She’d offered to help, but her lover had declined. So it’s not like she was gonna argue that.

Villanelle finished putting the last dish away, washed and dried her hands, then flopped on the sofa next to Eve. “Does spicing up the neighbors’ sex life count as something nice for my chore chart?”

Eve snorted. “No. Because it wasn’t on purpose. You were just oversharing and it happened to give Arlene ideas.”

Villanelle froze, eyes darting to Eve and then away just as quickly. “You do not think I should have explained Oksana to Jake?”

Ville’s voice was small and Eve recognized her mistake immediately, eyes going wide. “Oh, no baby, that’s not what I meant,” she said, sitting up all the way so she could take Villanelle’s face in her hands. “That part was amazing. I was in awe of you.”

Villanelle breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed into Eve’s touch. “Oh. You meant the part about the strap?”

“Yes, the part about the strap, and about Daddy,” Eve said with a nod. “I mean come _on_ , Ville.”

Villanelle grinned and leaned further into Eve’s touch until she was basically forcing her lover backward. “I like for everyone to know what you do to me.”

“Oh yeah?” Eve put a little pressure on Villanelle’s cheeks with her fingertips and moved her thumbs lower to push firmly into Ville’s jaw.

“Yeah.” Villanelle couldn’t help a soft moan. She loved it when Eve got firm.

“Should we make a video and distribute it indiscriminately?”

A less soft moan. “Yes, Eve. Please.”

Eve choked a little and dropped her hands. “Ville, I was joking.”

Villanelle looked at her, all sorts of feelings bubbling up in her chest. “Please, Eve?”

“Baby, we can’t just send porn to people, I’m pretty sure that’s illegal...”

“But Carolyn or Konstantin would never call the police about it,” Villanelle tried to rationalize it. “Or Audrey or Bear or Jamie.”

Eve was surprised that Villanelle knew Bear and Jamie’s names, let alone that she wanted to send porn their way. “Ville, I was just joking. We can’t do that,” Eve insisted, shaking her head.

Villanelle could feel that anger seeding in the pit of her stomach and focused all her energy on stopping it. She thought of riding the elephant and caring about Nita’s feelings and what it felt like to kiss Eve Polastri.

She got lost in that last one and before she knew it, the seed was gone, and she was only a regular amount of annoyed at not getting her way. “Can you not joke about sex things if we will not be able to do them?” she asked after another few minutes.

Eve had watched the play of emotions across Villanelle’s face and been prepared for her lover to lash out, but she was pleasantly surprised when that didn’t happen, and even more pleasantly surprised when Villanelle clearly communicated her needs. “Absolutely,” she agreed. “I didn’t mean to upset you, baby.”

“It is not your fault,” Villanelle said, climbing onto Eve’s lap and leaning her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I almost got very mad, Eve, but I did what Nita taught me. Are you proud of me?”

Eve put her arms around Villanelle and squeezed her tight. “So proud, Ville. Thank you for always trying so hard. I don’t know if I say that enough... but I know it takes you a lot more effort than it takes most people, and the fact that you try so hard means so much to me.”

“I think you let me know how you feel in many ways, but thank you for saying this anyway. It is always nice to hear.” These tender moments with Eve were so nice. Such a new thing in her life. “Eve?” she asked a few minutes later.

“Hm?”

“Do you think Audrey is my friend now?”

Eve’s breath caught at the unexpected question and she squeezed Villanelle tighter. “I’m sure she is... why do you ask?”

Villanelle shrugged the best she could in Eve’s embrace. “I do not have any friends, that’s all.”

Eve nearly started to bawl at that. “Yes you do, baby,” she said gently, brushing Ville’s hair back behind her ear. “You have Konstantin, Carolyn, Elena, Nita, me...”

“Carolyn does not like me,” Villanelle said, pulling a face.

“She does. She reminded me to pay the babysitters.”

“How does that mean she likes me?” Still with the face.

“Because she didn’t want them not to watch you again.”

“That only means she likes to see you without me.” Villanelle groaned.

“Okay I can see how it looks that way but I can tell, she likes you.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.”

“Elena does not like me, either.”

“Elena knows how happy I am and that makes her like you. She came to visit you in the hospital, didn’t she?”

Villanelle pursed her lips as she thought back to those miserable days in the hospital and how people visiting made it less miserable, and how Elena and Carolyn had both come to see her. “Maybe you are right.”

“See? You have friends.”

“But Konstantin is the only one of those people who would hang out with me by ourselves if I asked.”

“I think Nita would,” Eve offered, stroking Ville’s hair. “Do you want to spend some time with other people one on one?”

“No,” Villanelle said quickly. “No, that is not why I said it. I do not want to do anything without you.”

“It would be okay if you did,” Eve said. “You’re growing as a person, and part of that means discovering things about yourself that might not relate to me.”

“No,” Villanelle said again, shaking her head, putting her arms around Eve’s neck. “No thank you, Eve.”

“Well I’m not gonna force you,” Eve said with a laugh. “I like having you with me all the time. I just want you to know it’s okay if you need to build relationships with other people.”

“When you say it like that it sounds really horrible and like a lot of work. I am fine without putting in a lot of work, okay? We will keep things the way they are.”

Eve laughed again. “Okay, baby.”

“Now what am I going to do for my chore chart? It is late. No one is awake probably.”

“It’s not _that_ late,” Eve said, glancing at her phone. “It’s only nine.” 

“Do you want to go for a walk then? Maybe I can find someone to help.”

“Sure,” Eve said, giving her a squeeze. “And when we get back you can read a chapter of the handbook.”

“Can you please take that off of my chore chart? I hate that book.”

Eve laughed yet again and stole a kiss. “No.”

“You are the worst.”

“I know. So are you.”

***

“Look, Eve!” Villanelle hissed about ten minutes into their walk. “He is about to rob that liquor store. I will stop him.”

“Villanelle, no!” Eve hissed back. “Just call the police! That will count as doing something nice!”

Villanelle looked at the guy again. She knew she could take him. It would not even be difficult. She could probably do it with one hand. “Eve, he is already drunk. And he is small for a man. This will be easy.”

“Villanelle, no,” Eve said more seriously. “I mean it. Don’t you fucking dare.” She got her phone out of her pocket and handed it to Villanelle to keep her occupied. “Call the police.”

Villanelle shook her head and slipped the phone back into Eve’s pocket, then ducked inside the store, avoiding Eve’s attempt to grab her. She waited for the man to pull out his gun, just to be sure she hadn’t been wrong about him, and then effortlessly disarmed him and put him on the ground, holding his weapon on him. “Call the police. You’re welcome,” she told the gaping clerk just as Eve burst through the door looking furious.

“What the fuck!” Eve shrieked, gesturing wildly. “What part of no didn’t you understand? Are you fucking kidding me Villanelle? Jesus Christ!"

Yep, Eve was furious. Ville waited for the clerk to call the police, then set the gun on the counter, shoved her hands into her pockets, and walked out of the store. She wasn’t sure how to feel. There were a lot of conflicting emotions and urges flying around inside her head and her body. She scuffed her feet slightly as she walked toward home.

Eve was beside herself with panic even though she’d known Villanelle could take the guy blindfolded. There were so many variables that neither of them could have pinned down. What if he’d had a partner hiding in the store? What if the clerk thought Villanelle was in on it and reported her to the police? What if the guy had gotten off a shot before Villanelle even tried to take him?

She jogged to catch up and grabbed Villanelle by the shoulders, shaking her. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she shouted, and she knew she shouldn’t be shouting but her heart was pounding in the bad kind of way.

“Don’t speak to me like that, Eve,” Villanelle said quietly. “Take your hands off of me right now. You do not get to treat me this way whether you are the boss or not.”

“Treat you what way?” Eve shook her again. “Like I want your guts to stay inside your body and your brains to stay inside your head? Do you know how scared that just made me?”

Villanelle gave a little sneer. “You were not scared, Eve. You are angry because I did not listen to you. Take. Your hands. Off of me.” She was not going to hurt Eve. She was going to continue to communicate. Even though every part of her wanted to slam Eve’s head into a wall.

Eve let go of Villanelle’s shoulders and folded her arms across her chest. “I _am_ angry that you didn’t listen to me, but the entire reason I didn’t want you to do that was because the thought of you putting yourself in that situation scared me.”

“You are lying, Eve, and it is not very attractive,” Villanelle said, eyes narrowing the slightest bit.

“Why do you think I’m lying?” Eve asked. “Do you still not understand how much I love you?”

“You—you just want to own me,” Villanelle spat, turning to walk away again. She didn’t believe that, but she was so mixed up that she didn’t know how to sort her feelings, let alone her words.

Eve froze for a second, feeling the phantom pain of her bullet wound winding through her back. She moved to the nearest wall and sank down to sit on the ground, knees pulled up to her chest. She remembered hearing the gunshot and falling, and then waking up in the hospital with the knowledge that Villanelle had shot her and left her. She felt the same way now.

Villanelle walked faster, anticipating Eve trying to grab her again, but when she didn’t even hear footsteps behind her she stopped and turned. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw Eve slumped against the wall... looking small and vulnerable and broken. Oh, no. Were they destined for this? Were they damned? Would she ever be able to get angry without making Eve look like _that_?

She fought tears as she walked back over and sank down next to her girlfriend. “Were you really scared, Eve?” she asked quietly. “Even though you knew I would not have a problem?”

Eve immediately leaned her head on Villanelle’s shoulder, shocked that Ville had come back. “I think about the things you don’t think about,” she whispered. “What if he wasn’t alone? What if the clerk thought you were a part of it and reported you to the police? What if he’d shot you before you even tried to intervene, just because he was drunk and stupid?”

Villanelle pulled a face. “Now I just feel like you underestimate me.”

“You’re not invincible,” Eve said, laying a hand on Villanelle’s belly; on her scar. “You’re afraid of losing me because of our past, and I’m afraid of losing you because of the nature of your work and because of things like this.”

Villanelle thought really hard about what she wanted to say. About how to turn her feelings into words. It took her a few minutes, but she figured it out. “You can be scared of losing me. I know you cannot help feeling that way. It does not give you the right to grab me and shake me and ask what the fuck is wrong with me. It does not give you the right to control me in things that I do not want you to control. I give you so much power, Eve... and you have never made me feel like your actual property before tonight.”

Eve turned toward her further and buried her face in Ville’s neck. “You’re right,” she said, tears welling up behind tightly closed eyelids. “I’m sorry. I panicked and reacted badly. I’m sorry, Ville. Please.”

Villanelle breathed a sigh of relief at Eve’s response to her words. She hadn’t known if she would get resistance and excuses, or maybe more yelling, or maybe for Eve to say that she _was_ her property even though they both knew that the tattoo was metaphorical, but Eve’s response was good. It was good. It made her relax. “Thank you. And I am sorry I scared you. But you have to let me be myself. And it’s who I am... I will never call the police if I can handle something on my own.”

Eve squeezed her and bit down lightly on her neck. “I understand that, but baby... can’t we meet somewhere in the middle?”

“I do not know what that means in this context.” Villanelle squirmed at the bite and brought a hand up to stroke the back of Eve’s head.

“It means... if I tell you something is going to scare me and I don’t want you to do it... instead of ignoring me and rushing off to do it anyway, can you at least have a conversation with me? Tell me your plan so I don’t completely freak out and panic?”

Villanelle thought about it for a while and decided that what Eve was asking for was not unreasonable. She could agree to it. “Okay. But you have to tell me nicely.”

“I will. I will. I’m sorry, baby,” Eve said, burying her face tighter against Ville’s neck. “I’m so sorry.”

Villanelle put her arms around Eve and held her close. “I am sorry too. I really do not want to scare you, Eve.”

“I just love you so much,” Eve whispered. “And that means the thought of losing you is terrifying.”

“Believe me, I know how terrifying that thought is,” Villanelle replied. “I still have it a lot.”

“But you don’t respond by lashing out at me,” Eve said with a sigh. “Can you forgive me?”

“I already did, stupid,” Villanelle said, ruffling Eve’s hair and then yelping at the pinch she got in retaliation. “Ow.”

“Can we go home now? I think I sat in gum.”

Villanelle made a gagging sound and got up, dragging Eve with her. “You are throwing those trousers away. I will buy you another pair.”

***

Eve threw the trousers away because she had indeed sat in gum, and Villanelle checked the tag so she could order another pair. When that was done, they took a quick shower and settled in bed, Eve with a cheesy romance novel and Villanelle with the abhorred MI-6 handbook.

When she finished the chapter, Villanelle set the handbook on her nightstand. “Something you don’t know about me,” she said, referencing her chore chart again. “When I was in year three I got skipped a grade because it was too easy for me.”

Eve folded the corner of the page she was on and put her book down, turning to give Ville her full attention. “Ooh, a scholar _and_ an assassin,” she said, wagging her eyebrows. “I hit the jackpot.”

Villanelle rolled her eyes. “Well it certainly is a gamble, being with me, isn’t it?”

Eve leaned over and kissed her. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“But it was still clever, no?” Villanelle asked with a grin.

“Very clever.” Eve gave her that. They were quiet for a few minutes and then she started to ask, “do you really think I—”

“No,” Villanelle interrupted. “I do not think you want to own me. I was struggling to find words and those were the closest I could grasp at the time.”

“Okay,” Eve said, biting her lip. “Because I—”

“I know, Eve,” Villanelle said gently.

“If you never want to give me your power again, I’ll understand...”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Villanelle purred into her lover’s ear. “I told you earlier I want to keep things just how they are, and I still do.”

“But I—”

“Eve?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

Eve snorted, a grin pushing through to smother her darker thoughts. “Yeah.”


	53. Chapter 53

Villanelle was crouched behind a row of bushes, silencer screwed onto the muzzle of her Sig Sauer, waiting.

Waiting.

Her least favorite thing (besides being told no).

Eve rolled her eyes for the nth time that day and shook her head to go along with it. “Villanelle, there’s not another soul within miles. Do you really need to flaunt that fancy suppressor?”

“If there is not another soul within miles, how can I be flaunting anything?” Villanelle said, hollowing her cheeks at Eve.

“Oh my God,” Eve muttered, shaking her head again.

“Try to focus, Eve. I know you are not used to stakeouts but this is important.” It was hard to hold in her amusement but she managed to deadpan the statement.

Eve’s jaw dropped and she was about to tell Villanelle exactly where to shove it when movement caught her attention and she crouched lower, double checking her own weapon. Villanelle was obviously the lead on this, but Eve refused to go unarmed, especially after the neurotoxin fiasco. It had taken a lot of threatening to even convince Villanelle to bring her on this stakeout; she wasn’t about to be a liability. She could handle herself.

“Why don’t we just take them both out now?” Villanelle whispered when the movement ceased. “We would be doing MI6 a favor, really. The other guy is just as slimy as this… lumberjack one.”

Eve couldn’t help a quiet snort. “Lumberjack? Because he’s wearing a flannel shirt?”

“And he lives in the middle of nowhere.”

“Because he’s a criminal, not because he cuts trees…”

Villanelle pulled a face. “Whatever. Let’s just shoot them both between the eyes and be done with it. Carolyn will thank us.”

“No. Are you trying to get us both fired?”

“Oh please. If we got fired Konstantin would set us up with much cushier paychecks. Freelance pays better than the government, Eve. Everyone knows this.”

“Did you read the file?”

“You watched me read it…”

“I watched you look at it. How do I know if you actually read it or just scanned the pages and made it look like you were reading?”

“Because you quizzed me on it.” Her expression soured when she thought of the spanking she’d gotten for one wrong answer. She’d gotten the other four answers right. And Eve was always telling her that nothing ever had to be _perfect_. Fff.

“Why can’t we kill Lougher, Villanelle?” Eve asked (im)patiently.

Villanelle narrowed her eyes and gave a long-suffering sigh. “Because MI6 might need to interrogate him later.”

“Thank you,” Eve said with her own long-suffering sigh. At least that would put an end to the idea of going off book.

…or it should have, anyway.

“Why don’t we kill Rocklin, shoot Lougher in the femoral and make a temporary tourniquet while we question hi—”

“No, Villanelle.”

“Eve, you have gotten boring in your old age.”

Eve bristled and gripped her gun tighter. “You’re gonna pay for that later.”

Villanelle cringed a little but had to put feelings aside as Lougher got into his car and drove off.

Action time.

***

Villanelle was already thumbing through Rocklin’s record collection by the time he got back in the house. “Flannel shirts and disco?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rocklin shrieked and jumped, knocking his head on the door frame, and before he could reach for his own weapon she shot him through the forehead and his body hit the floor. Not the most satisfying way to kill someone, but it was fast and efficient and left no room for surprises.

Eve emerged from the office area with the document MI6 wanted, and they were off.

***

“You didn’t kill Lougher, did you?” Carolyn asked as she accepted the document and filed it away.

Eve snickered to herself.

“Of course not,” Villanelle said as if it had never been a possibility. “I am a very obedient employee.”

The expression on Carolyn’s face was as close to a laugh as the woman would ever get, though no sound accompanied the look. “Dismissed.”

Villanelle saluted her. “Yes, Sergeant.”

Eve grabbed her by the collar and dragged her out of Carolyn’s office before she found another way to get them fired.

Once they were in the car on the way home, Eve turned to her lover. “When we get home, go to your room and put yourself in the corner.”

Villanelle’s mouth fell open and she stared at Eve. “What? Why?” She racked her brain for what she—oh. The old age comment. Fuck. “Because I teased you about your age?”

Eve wasn’t about to discuss it before she was good and ready to discuss it. “Quiet until I ask you to speak.”

Villanelle sat and stewed for the rest of the ride, and when their (still nameless) driver dropped them off, the journey up to the flat was silent and she stomped to her room, slammed the door, and stood in the corner. Standing in the corner was probably her most hated punishment because it was so boring and she was separated from Eve.

The longer she stood there, the more her annoyance turned to worry, and when she’d been standing there for probably an hour, the worry was starting to edge toward panic. Eve had never left her in the corner for so long.

When she finally heard the bedroom door open it was all she could do not to turn around and rush her lover. She squeezed her hands into fists to keep herself still and bit her lip to keep herself quiet. She didn’t need to make things worse and Eve was obviously pissed off.

Eve sat on the edge of the bed, folding her hands on her knees. She didn’t really want to look Villanelle in the face while they talked, but she wasn’t going to leave her in the corner during a conversation either. “Come sit down.”

Villanelle kept herself from running. She forced her feet to go a normal speed across the floor and forced her body to sit instead of flopping down on top of Eve.

It was quiet for another few minutes which just made Villanelle worry more. She was about to say something when Eve spoke.

“So if I’m boring in my old age, does that mean you want someone younger and more exciting now?”

The question hit Villanelle like a ton of bricks. She could almost feel the color drain from her face, if such a thing were possible. “What? Eve, no, of course not,” she said, eyes wide in alarm. “It was a stupid joke with no reality involved whatsoever.” Now it made sense why she’d been stood in the corner for so long. “I would never want someone else. You are perfect.”

Eve wasn’t ready to be relieved just yet. “I am not perfect,” she said with a snort.

Villanelle squirmed beside her. “You know what I mean. You are perfect in the way that I mean you are perfect.” When Eve didn’t say anything to that, she sighed. “Okay, I know it was a rude thing to say, but you did not think that I _really_ —”

But the look on Eve’s face said she _did_.

Villanelle gasped. “Eve, no,” she whispered. “No, Eve. No. No. No. Never.”

Eve chanced a look at her lover, and Villanelle did appear sincere, but it was a hard comment to dismiss. “I just—” She wasn’t sure what she ‘just’. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to seem insecure, because most of the time she wasn’t insecure. At all. But this… this was the one thing she worried about with Villanelle. The one thing she had no control over. Getting older. Becoming boring to someone younger.

“Eve,” Villanelle complained, on the verge of tears. “I do not think you are even old, so how could this be true? And you are never boring, you are the least boring person I have ever met. Konstantin is old and boring; you are beautiful and sexy and fun and exciting and I love you… I will never make such a stupid joke again, I promise.”

Eve softened a little and slid an arm around Villanelle’s shoulders, but it would take some time for Ville’s promises to settle in.

“Eve, please,” Villanelle said more desperately. “Punish me, yes?”

“I don’t think punishing you is the right move.”

Villanelle’s eyes widened. “What? No, you have to. Otherwise you will not be able to forgive me.” How could Eve not want to punish her for this?

“Ville, I already forgive you. You didn’t do anything wrong, really, you just made a joke that happened to hit me in the insecurities.” She gave Villanelle a squeeze. “And punishments are more for… things that aren’t so serious? Rule breaking and talking back, not for accidentally hurting my feelings. If you’d meant to be hurtful, I’d punish you, but you didn’t.”

Villanelle could feel things starting to spiral downward, out of control. She had come to expect punishments for upsetting Eve, and being punished helped her forgive herself. Having to suffer for her sins, so to speak, had been really, really good for her. And she sort of relied on it now to keep her world in order. She didn’t want to return to the chaos of existence without Eve’s rules. “I didn’t hurt your feelings on purpose but you could punish me for being thoughtless,” she said, wishing she could make Eve understand through sheer force of will.

“Baby, it’s not—I don’t—” Eve stopped at the anguish clearly written on her lover’s face. She felt like she was drowning in uncertainty and didn’t know whether to give in or stay the course. Nita would know what to do. “Let me ask Nita, okay?”

Villanelle nodded and curled into Eve’s side, feeling like she didn’t even deserve that small comfort.

Eve took her phone out of her pocket and sent Nita a text explaining the situation and asking for advice. Her phone buzzed less than a minute later.

_It sounds like she doesn’t forgive herself._

Oh thank God, Nita was available.

_But what should I do? I don’t think she deserves to be punished but she seems pretty desperate about it._

_Well you’ve built up a structure for her that she’s used to, right? She probably feels comfortable with that structure. Misbehavior earns punishment._

_But she didn’t technically misbehave… so I’d feel like kind of an asshole for punishing her._

_It’s not black and white, it’s not that easy. She feels like she misbehaved. If you don’t lay down the law like she’s used to, she might feel unsettled and unsure of her boundaries._

_She won’t resent me for punishing her for something like this?_

_She wouldn’t be asking you to punish her if she was going to resent you, would she? She craves boundaries, and you’re the one she looks to to provide and enforce them._

_So you’re saying I should punish her._

_I’m saying you should talk to her more about why she wants to be punished. She might not know how to explain it, so ask her about boundaries and feeling secure. Ask her what kind of punishment she thinks is fair for something like this. Try to get her to realize why she needs it._

Eve wanted an easier answer, but it’s not like she was lazy or she didn’t want to talk to Villanelle.

_Okay. I will. Thanks Nita._

_Any time, hon._

She locked the keys and put her phone away and took a slow breath. “I’m willing to consider giving you a punishment, but we need to talk more about it first.”

Villanelle felt the first layer of a weight lift from her chest and sat up straighter. “Okay.”

“Why do you want to be punished for an accident?”

“If you don’t punish me for this accident, I think more and more accidents will happen. I do not want things to go back to the way they were before.”

“The way they were before what?”

“Before you loved me.”

Eve obviously melted and pulled Villanelle into a tight hug. And just like that, she understood. She understood why Villanelle wanted to be held accountable. She understood the fear; the self-doubt; the desperation. She understood Villanelle’s need for her to follow protocol. “Baby… I don’t think there was a time before I loved you.”

Villanelle almost smiled, but she remembered the look on Eve’s face earlier and the smile wouldn’t quite come.

“Do you really want to feel punished, Villanelle?” If the answer was truly yes, then she knew what she was going to do.

Villanelle’s stomach gave a little jump. But she answered immediately anyway. “Yes, Eve.”

Eve steeled herself and kissed the top of Ville’s head, then tried to keep her own regret out of her voice as she handed down the sentence. “Then because you were insensitive toward me, I’ll be staying the night at my apartment tonight.” She held her breath and waited for the fallout.

The air rushed from Villanelle’s lungs without looking back. She opened her mouth to argue. She wanted to tell Eve to do anything else, anything but that. _Anything_ else. Choke her, beat her, tie her up and make her sleep naked on the floor with no blankets or pillow, but don’t leave her. It was the worst punishment she could ever think of. But logically, Eve wasn’t going to choke her or beat her over a misunderstanding. Those punishments were _different_.

So she didn’t argue.

But she cried.

Eve waited until she was in the car to cry. Being away from Villanelle was as much of a punishment for her as it was for Ville.

Her apartment seemed strange now. Unfamiliar. Empty. Not just empty, even, but… a void. A black hole of nothingness. And all her plants were dead. Oops. She should’ve asked the neighbor to water her plants in addition to stealing her newspapers (so they didn’t pile up and make it obvious she was never there).

She was literally afraid to open the fridge and see what expired filth lurked within, so she ordered takeout.

Eating without Villanelle was sad and boring.

When she sat on the sofa to watch TV and picked up the remote and it felt nothing like Villanelle’s remote, that was the last straw. She chucked it forcefully across the room and watched the batteries exit their compartment like rockets, some small measure of satisfaction lighting inside her at the action. And then she left.

It wasn’t all that late when she got back to Villanelle’s, but she went in quietly in case her lover was already asleep.

She locked up behind herself and put her purse on the sofa, then crept into the bedroom, unsure of what to expect.

Villanelle was curled up on the floor in one corner of the room, asleep with her forehead resting against the wall.

Further inspection revealed bruised, bloody knuckles and Eve sighed, reaching out to stroke her lover’s hair. “Ville,” she whispered.

Villanelle jerked awake and scrambled away, raising her fist to strike out of instinct, but when she registered Eve she lowered her arm and put her hands behind her back to hide the state of them. “Hi,” she said, a lame attempt to sound casual.

“I already saw your hands,” Eve said, moving forward to kiss her forehead.

“It’s not morning already, is it?”

“No. My apartment was just too lonely. I should have picked another punishment. I probably will pick another punishment, actually, since I failed you at the one I chose. And I’ll add violence to the list of offenses.”

“I did not hit a person, Eve,” Villanelle said, wanting to make sure that was clear.

Eve gestured at the bloody part of the wall behind her lover. “I think I see what you hit.” She pulled Villanelle into her arms. “Let’s get you fixed up.”

Villanelle just nodded and followed along, sitting patiently on the closed toilet while Eve cleaned her wounds and smeared ointment on the broken skin, then wrapped gauze around both hands and taped it off. She let Eve lead her to bed afterward and reveled in the feeling of being held close. She hadn’t expected to be held tonight, and she knew she shouldn’t be so happy that Eve came back, because Eve probably wasn’t happy with herself about it if she knew Eve, but she couldn’t help it. “I was going to accept the punishment even though I hated it, but I’m happy you’re here, Eve,” she confessed against a soft pajama sleeve.

“I’m happy I’m here too, baby,” Eve said with a sigh, half content and half weary. “That was a stupid punishment. I’ll think of a better one tomorrow if you still feel like you need one.”

“I will let you know in the morning,” Villanelle said, snuggling closer.

“You’re going to run me off the bed,” Eve complained, but honestly she couldn’t care less if she fell off the bed, because at least she wasn’t in an empty apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got a bit stuck on an appropriate punishment and decided ultimately to poll the audience! Give me ideas, please, creative or standard :)


End file.
